breast cancer

Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Young Women

2008-08-20T21:10:00.004-07:00

It is widely recognized that breast cancer mostly affects those women fifty or over. However, there is precedent for young women to develop the disease. There are a few reasons for this including:
Change in hormone levels. Younger women tend to experience widely varying hormone levels that fluctuate far more than older women, and this can put them at greater risk for breast cancer and the need for treatment.

Environmental changes such as pollution, pesticides and food contamination as well as use of antiperspirants can also have an effect. Lifestyle changes may also be considered. Another thing to think about is breast enhancement. This is usually done to increase one's self confidence and self image. However what is generally not considered it the fact that breast enhancement methods can rely on hormone manipulation or excessive hormones.

Lifestyle choices can also play apart. These include mental or emotional stress as well as poor diet and sleep patterns, smoking or eating genetically enhanced foods.

Late childbearing can also be considered as a risk factor as is lack of breast feeding. Not only does this pose a risk to the mother, it can be considered unhealthy for the baby as well, though at this time there is no conclusive proof of an increase in breast cancer risk.

In short, although the highest level of risk is still seen in older women, there is significant chance for younger women to develop the disease due to rapidly changing lifestyle choices. The best way for younger women to prevent breast cancer is to ensure rest, eat healthy, exercise and make sure that their stress level in within manageable limits.

What Causes Breast Cancer?

2008-08-20T21:10:00.003-07:00

Recent breast cancer statistics state that one in eight women is at risk to develop breast cancer in their lifetime and that women over fifty have the greatest risk for developing breast cancer. Breast cancer can be detected via mammograms or self-diagnosis. Self-diagnosis is no replacement for a doctor.

Pinpointing the exact cause of breast cancer remains very difficult, as each person's cancer may be brought on by totally different causes. In general, cancer is caused by a free radicals, also known as deformed cells, which attach to good cells. There is also a link to high estrogen levels. High estrogen levels may be caused by hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills, and high levels of preservatives found in herbicides and pesticides.

We can classify the causes listed above as generally beyond our control. However, there are other things that can put one at risk for breast cancer that are within our control. These include:

- Excessive alcohol intake.
- A diet high in fat.
- Pregnancy after 30.
- Oral contraceptive use.

Unfortunately, our society teaches us that most things can be fixed with a pill. However, to truly help prevent cancer, you can do some or all of the following: Exercise regularly. This could be as simple as a 30 minute walk each day. Eat a diet high in fiber and vegetables and low in fat. Eat fruit. Always ensure you get the proper amount of rest specific to you. You may need 7 hours of sleep, you may need more or less. Listen to your body as it will tell you. Make sure you self-diagnose and stick to a schedule. You may also want to consider progesterone cream as well. What this does is essentially regulate your body's hormones so that the estrogen level does not get too high. Doing these things will go a long way to helping prevent breast cancer and lowering your risk of developing it.

Positive Ways to Deal With Breast Cancer

2008-08-20T21:10:00.001-07:00

As we know there are many practical ways one can use to prevent breast cancer. But what if you've already been diagnosed? It should be stated here that being diagnosed with breast cancer does not automatically mean life is over. In addition to the many options for breast cancer treatment (including drugs and more natural methods), there are ways that one can increase their energy and vitality and deal with this disease.

First off, if you have a religious faith, turn to that. Seek comfort in it and use your faith to strengthen your positive outlook. Faith is designed to help us through whatever tough times we may encounter and can be an integral part of the fight against breast cancer.

Next, simply talk to a friend. Again, this can go far in helping you cope with the diagnosis and in strengthening your resolve. A true friend will be there in good times and bad and is as important to your healing process as your doctor.

Keep yourself busy. One of the best ways to deal with something like this is to keep busy. Do not let this disease control your life. Live it as if nothing had changed. Remember to do things for yourself also. This could be taking yourself to a movie or curling up on the couch. And if you have hobbies do those as doing something you love will lift your spirits and enable you to keep going.

There is support in the form of groups you can turn to as well. Remember that you are not alone.

Above all, take things one day at a time. And should your family offer to help in anything from chores to dinner, take them up on it. If you do these things, soon you will be a survivor who thrives.

I hope you've gotten a lot of value from this article, as now you know some vital information about breast cancer and how to try to prevent it.

Preventing Breast Cancer Made Easy

2008-08-20T21:09:00.001-07:00

There are several ways we can go about breast cancer prevention. One is to ensure we get enough rest, to give our body the time it needs to grow and regenerate. Another way is to have a healthy diet plan, rich in oats, fiber and vegetables. But the most important method of breast cancer prevention is exercise.

It is commonly known that exercise does not have to be a two mile run or hours spent at the gym, however when it comes to exercise we are very good at finding excuses no to, even though we know it will benefit us. Common ones include: "It's too early, it's too late, I'm tired, my feet hurt, my whole body hurts, I'm hungry," but really if we stop and think, we are short-changing our bodies and in doing so, potentially shortening our lives.

The recommended minimum amount of exercise is 30 minutes a day. Exercise can be anything from walking, to swimming, to yoga to weight lifting. The main thrust here is to do it with consistency. What you are trying to do is develop a habit that will aid in keeping you health, strong and cancer free.

It is interesting to note that the benefits of exercise are not impacted by your weight. Exercise, no matter what form it takes is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle as a stronger body will lead to a stronger immune system. When started at an early age, the benefits are enormous. And if your exercise routine is kept up as you progress through your forties and fifties, you will have a much lesser risk of developing breast cancer than those that don't exercise. In short, you can use pills but the best breast cancer prevention is the one that comes from your own efforts.

I hope you've gotten a lot of value from this article, as now you know some vital information about breast cancer and how to try to prevent it.

Learn About Breast Cancer

2008-08-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

Breast cancer is a common disease. Each year, approximately 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer, and one in nine American women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in breast tissues. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes, which have many smaller sections called lobules. Breast cancer is 100 times more common in women than in men. Most cases of male breast cancer are detected in men between the ages of 60 and 70, although the condition can develop in men of any age.

Breast cancer is not only a serious physical disease, but it is often an emotionally draining disease as well. Issues regarding sexuality (especially if a mastectomy has been performed) often surround breast cancer. Breast cancer is identified by different names, depending on where it starts in the woman's breast. A woman's breast is made up of breast tissue, blood vessels, nerves, ducts, lobes and lobules. Breast cancer is highly detectable through mammography screening. The earlier it is discovered, the greater it is for a woman to survive the disease. It is recommended that women over 40 years of age receive yearly mammograms.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women, although men get breast cancer too. Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. It is considered a heterogeneous disease, meaning that it is a different disease in different women, a different disease in different age groups and has different cell populations within the tumor itself. Breast cancer is diagnosed by the examination of surgically removed breast tissue. A number of procedures can obtain tissue or cells prior to definitive treatment for histological or cytological examination. There are two types of surgery to remove the malignant tumor. Lumpectomy is the removal of the tumor and part of the surrounding breast tissue. Second type of surgery is a mastectomy which is the removal of the entire breast and breast tissue.

Breast cancer is a disease in which certain cells in the breast become abnormal and multiply without control or order to form a tumor. The most common form of breast cancer begins in cells lining the ducts that carry milk to the nipple (ductal cancer). Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among American women, with over 200,000 new cases a year and about 46,000 annual deaths. Breast cancer can also occur in men, but the numbers are much less than in women. It is very important for women to perform monthly self breast examination. If a woman feels any lumps or anything abnormal in her breast, she must see a doctor immediately.

Breast Cancer Symptoms - Key to Early Detection For Complete Cure

2008-07-15T07:38:00.001-07:00

Breast cancer is nowadays a commonly found disease in women. It consists of abnormal growth of cells in the breast. When these cells keep growing continuously without any interruption then it starts affecting other healthy cells. The growth of this disease can start at the small lobe, tissues and vessels in breast. Although there is no defining symptoms but some factors help you in getting the required help, at the right time.

It is not easy to detect breast cancer. The symptoms sometimes do not occur at early stage. Even feeling pain is not always a sign for this type of cancer. But if you are familiar with common signs then you can manage this condition and even cure it completely. Every woman knows about the size and shape of breast. There should be no swelling and distortion in breasts. To check, you should gently press your fingers flatly on the surface of breast. If you find any sort of lump, mass or thickening then you should consult to your physician. Symptoms also include dimpling or ridges and rash or scales on the skin. If you notice that one breast is growing more in comparison to other breast then you need to consult doctor.

Apart from this breast cancer symptoms include inverted nipples in changed shape and also pushed inward. Discharge of colorless, yellow, milky or even blood discharge from nipples is one of the most noticeable symptoms. It is not essential that only women fall prey to breast cancer but men can also have this condition. Although it is in rare cases. The symptoms for this disease are same for both men and women. However, apart from other symptoms, men should look for signs such as pain in nipple, enlarged lymph nodes and areola sores.

However, women should visit doctor frequently for breast check up. It will assist you in diagnosing breast cancer early. If you find yourself unable to analyze yourself then you can undergo a clinical breast cancer exam.

Must Know Breast Cancer Awareness - Symptoms and Facts

2008-07-15T07:37:00.002-07:00

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in this country, affecting one in nine women at some time in their life. Women with a mother or sister who has had breast cancer are also likely to be more aware of the disease, making delays in seeking treatment unlikely.

As well as genetics, other risk factors such as obesity and hormone replacement therapy probably play a role in the incidence and outcome of breast cancer.

Women aged over 70 years are also entitled to screening, but must request it when their appointment is due.

Women who have taken female hormone preparations for many years are also at risk. It is thought that breast-feeding gives some protection against breast cancer developing.

Hormone replacement therapy increases the risk of breast cancer. Risk increases the longer you take it, and decreases gradually after you stop taking it.

Breast cancer that spreads out of the breast may spread to lymph nodes in the armpit nearest the breast affected by cancer (axillary lymph nodes). It occurs much more commonly in women and fewer than 1 in 100 of breast cancers occur in men, and is hormone-dependent.

Hormone therapy is used for women with ER/PR-positive breast cancer, while chemotherapy is recommended for women whose breast cancers are ER-PR-negative.

Chemotherapy may also be recommended in addition to hormone therapy for women with ER/PR-positive breast cancer, particularly if they have node-positive disease, a large tumor size, or other features that suggest a higher risk for a cancer recurrence.

Lymphedema (chronic swelling) of the arm tends to develop gradually in 15% to 20% of breast cancer patients who have lymph nodes removed.

Some research suggests that the chance of developing lymphedema after breast cancer treatment is greater if a large number of lymph nodes are removed, if radiation is used as part of treatment, if tumor cells are present in the lymph does when initial surgery is performed, or if wound complications develop after surgery.

There is also research that indicates that exercise and skin care after surgery can help reduce the chances of lymphedema. All patients who have lymph nodes removed should be taught how to take care of the affected arm and help prevent lymphedema.

Lymph vessels move lymph fluid to the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes trap bacteria, cancer cells and other harmful substances. Lymphatic vessels are tiny vessels that usually run beside veins and collect fluid and dead cells.

Patients should also know the early signs of lymphedema and report any symptoms to their physicians immediately to help avoid long-term suffering.

Many women who have had chemotherapy report memory loss and lack of concentration after breast cancer treatment. Others talk about being unable to remember details, being unable to do more than one thing at a time and having trouble remembering common words.

Some women who have not taken chemotherapy also report similar symptoms.

Fertility and pregnancy are important concerns for many young women with breast cancer. One possible side effect of breast cancer treatment is amenorrhea (not having periods), which may result in loss of fertility.

The risk of amenorrhea from chemotherapy depends on a woman's age and the specific drug regimen used.

The growth of some breast cancer cells may be slowed or stopped with the drugtamoxifen, an anti-estrogen medication. Research suggests that tamoxifen may lower the chance that a breast cancer can return by between 25% and 35%. It can also prevent the recurrence of new cancer in the opposite breast.

Treatment typically involves removal of the primary tumour where possible, followed by a regimen of chemotherapy and/or hormone therapy, and sometimes radiation therapy.

Other hormone treatments include the use of progestins, estrogens, andandrogens.

In rare cases, the surgeon may suggest removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy) in pre-menopausal women as a way of eliminating the main source of estrogen, which can boost the growth of some breast tumors.

Doctors and scientists are working on finding cures for all types of breast cancer.

They are researching new medicines that may even help prevent the disease. Doctors call the new tumor "distant" or metastatic disease.

Doctors recommend doing a monthly BSE at the same time each month (like a few days after a girls period ends, when breasts are less tender). Some kinds of lumps that teenage girls may feel are normal, but a doctor should check out any lump to be sure.

Breast cancer can be a transforming experience, but not in the ways you might think. Most women don't just survive breast cancer; they derive strength from the experience of having the disease.

Early Detection Signs Or Symptoms of Breast Cancer

2008-07-15T07:37:00.001-07:00

Breast cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in UK women, is the disease women fear most.

Early detection of this disease is vital!

There are different signs and symptoms of breast cancer. One of the first signs or symptoms is feeling a lump in the breast. This lump will feel different then the other breast tissue around it.

It is known that more then eighty percent of women discover lumps by checking themselves. A physician can detect breast cancer by giving you a mammogram.

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. Most breast lumps aren't cancerous.

Yet the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women is a lump or thickening in the breast.

Often, the lump is painless.

Even though the public has learned a great deal about breast cancer, there remain more than a half-dozen popular breast cancer myths.

At least one such myth relates to the signs of breast cancer. Many women believe that finding a lump in the breast means that they have breast cancer, which is untrue.

Another symptom of breast cancer is Paget?s disease of the breast.

It is a syndrome that presents skin changes like redness and flaking skin of the nipple. As this advances symptoms may include itching, tingling, sensitivity, pain and burning and on occasion discharge from the nipple. About half of women that are diagnosed with Paget?s will also have a lump in the breast.

Another helpful piece of information is that some types of cancers, like the Inflammatory breast cancer and Pagent's disease show classic symptoms of their own type. Very red and hard breasts which keep getting sore show along with the regular breast cancer symptoms are a classic case of the Inflammatory breast cancer, whereas very itchy, red, scaly rashes, easily confused for eczema, on the breasts along with other breast cancer symptoms are Pagent's disease.

Always get the doctor to clarify your doubts.

Unlike the more common form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer does not generally present as a lump.

The disease grows as nests or sheets that clog the lymph system under the skin. Often the symptoms are attributed to other diseases and thus the diagnosis may take a long time to occur.

For many women, abnormal cell activity in breast fluid will be the first warning of the potential development of breast cancer signs and symptoms. This early warning system gives women and their doctors precious extra time to implement a more vigilant, personalized breast health treatment plan.

A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. This test is used to look for breast disease in women who do not appear to have breast problems. It can also be used when women have symptoms such as a lump, skin change, or nipple discharge.

Each year 180,000 women get breast cancer, this is an increase of over 50 percent of the women who were developing breast cancer before 1950.

The chances of developing breast cancer increases with age.

But, don't think that you don't have to worry if you are younger than 40, because more and more young women are also developing breast cancer than ever before.

Be vigilant in your breast exams and you will have greater peace of mind.

Early detection methods of detecting breast cancer has improved survival rates tremendously. Even with the amount of women developing breast cancer increasing, the amount of women who actually die of breast cancer these days is decreasing due to early detection and better treatment methods.

A screening mammogram is used to look for breast disease in women who have no breast concerns. A diagnostic mammogram is used when a woman has symptoms or if there are other barriers to accurate testing like breast implants.

Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. This is why it is important to follow screening recommendations. In most cases, the first signs of breast cancer are recognized as a small and often palpable lump in the breast.

Women with a higher risk of breast cancer should talk with their doctor about the best approach for them. They may benefit from starting mammograms when they are younger, having them more often, or having other tests. If you are at higher risk, your doctor might recommend an ultrasound or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) be done along with your mammograms.

If you notice any of these warning signs of breast cancer do not panic. Call your health care provider early and have it checked out. Not all these changes may represent cancer but you will not know unless you are examined.

Yet there is more reason for optimism than ever before.

In the last 30 years, doctors have made great strides in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease and in reducing breast cancer deaths.

In 1975, a diagnosis of breast cancer usually meant radical mastectomy - removal of the entire breast along with underarm lymph nodes and muscles underneath the breast.

Today, radical mastectomy is rarely performed. Instead, there are more and better treatment options, and many women are candidates for breast-sparing operations.

Most breast cancer symptoms are visually observable and highlight the need for regular breast self exams.

While breast cancer cannot be prevented, early detection of cancer warning signs and early diagnosis dramatically increases the likelihood of successful treatment.

The good news is that many times, especially if a lump is caught early, women with breast cancer go on to live full, healthy lives after treatment.

Some women also join support groups so they can talk to other women with breast cancer who are feeling the same emotions, this can be very beneficial and supportive.

The Effects of Hair Loss Following Chemotherapy

2008-07-15T07:36:00.002-07:00

You might not think about how important your hair is until you face losing it. And if you have cancer and are about to undergo chemotherapy, the chance of hair loss is very real. Both men and women report hair loss as one of the side effects they fear most after being diagnosed with cancer.

Hair loss happens because the chemotherapy affects all cells in the body, not just the cancer cells.

The lining of the mouth, stomach, and the hair follicles are especially sensitive because those cells multiply rapidly just like the cancer cells.

The difference is that the normal cells will repair themselves, making these side effects temporary.

Chemotherapy may be described as treatment of cancer with different drugs and chemicals.

It has been seen that majority of patients undergoing chemotherapy suffer from hair loss.

The reason is hair follicle cells grow quite fast and the drugs used for chemotherapy attack any cell growing and attacks healthy hair follicle cells also.

Can hair loss be prevented during chemotherapy treatment? There is no known way to prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss. However, not all chemotherapy medications cause hair loss.

You should consult with your doctor about the type of treatment recommended for you and what its side effects are likely to be.

Whether or not you lose your hair depends in part on the specific medication and dosage administered.

Women should consider visiting a wig salon before they begin losing their hair so that the specialist may become familiar with her present hairstyle and color.

Some wig salons specialize in hair loss from chemotherapy and are able to offer women specific advice. A wig specialist may also wish to measure the woman's head size to make sure an average wig will fit. Custom-made wigs sometimes take several weeks to have made.

Chemotherapy drugs are powerful medications that attack rapidly growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, these drugs also attack other rapidly growing cells in your body - including those in your hair roots. 6

Chemotherapy hair loss, and changes in skin and body can be devastating after effects of cancer treatment.

Fortunately, most of the time hair loss from chemotherapy is temporary.

You can expect to regrow a full head of hair six months to a year after your treatment ends, though your hair may temporarily be a different shade or texture.

Remember the hair loss from chemotherapy is temporary.

It usually starts to grow back about six weeks after the person finishes their chemotherapy, and it may look and feel different from the person's original hair. It may be curlier or a slightly different color.

Sometimes hair grows in grey until the person's hair color (also called pigment) cells begin to work again.

Most people will have a full head of hair again about six months to a year after they stop taking chemotherapy.

The decrease in blood cell counts does not occur right at the start of chemotherapy because the drugs do not destroy the cells already in the bloodstream (these are not dividing rapidly). Instead, the drugs affect new blood cells that are being made by the bone marrow.

Radiation only causes hair loss on the particular part of the body treated. If radiation is used to treat the breast, there is no hair loss on your head. But there might be loss of hair around the nipple, for women who have hair in that location. Radiation to the brain, used to treat metastatic cancer in the brain, usually causes complete hair loss on the head.

Cold caps don't work for everyone. They only block certain drugs and are not suitable for use in all types of cancer. You can't really have scalp cooling if there is too high a risk that cancer cells could be presenting the scalp blood vessels.

This is because there would be a possibility that the cells in the scalp blood vessels would not be killed by the chemotherapy. It certainly is not advisable for leukemia or lymphoma treatment, for example.

You cannot wear a cold cap if you are having continuous chemotherapy through a pump either, because you would have to wear the cold cap all the time, 24 hours a day.

Chemotherapy is very effective in killing cancer cells, but it also affects normal cells as well.

The strength of the drugs used in chemotherapy causes side effects that can bring discomfort and inconvenience.

Typical side effects of chemotherapy include gastrointestinal tract problems, hair loss, low blood cell counts, skin rashes, fatigue, and infertility.

Transfer and Proliferation of Breast Cancer

2008-07-15T07:36:00.001-07:00

And a few types of cancer, such as thyroid cancer similar to the natural history of breast cancer usually is very long, breast cancer cells, the doubling time for an average of 90 days, from the beginning of a malignant cell, after 30 times doubled, to reach the tumor Lcm diameter of the sphere, which will take seven to eight years. The cause of breast cancer has not yet completely clear, the best way to reduce mortality is early detection and early treatment. In tumor metastasis, surgery and radiotherapy alone can cure the vast majority of cases. Once transferred, the only cure is also positive for a small number of patients, so the natural law understanding of breast cancer. Help choose the best breast cancer treatment programme.

Breast cancer directly to the expansion around, the lymphatic and blood flow. The lymph nodes should be to prevent cancer cells from the primary tumor Yat, the first barrier, if cancer cells through the lymph node barrier is usually recidivism supraclavicular lymph nodes and then penetrated into the blood vein. In addition to the transfer axillary lymph node cancer, also involving the parasternal lymph nodes, for more than the second and third and fourth intercostal, in the first half of breast cancer in the area and areola more so, from here then repeat lymph node cancer. Breast cancer cells may also directly cause vascular invasive metastasis. Side by intercostal thoracic vein into the ipsilateral unknown vein into the pulmonary circulation. Breast deep tissue, breast and chest wall into the vein axillary vein into the subclavian vein and unknown vein, lung metastasis is an important way, the flow of qi intercostal vein and the vein-odd vein, the superior vena cava last Rufei, Ki Venous system through intervertebral vein, vertebral venous plexus, after the group connected with the vertebral vein, vertebral venous system and the vena cava blood flow in intra-abdominal pressure can change the flow of each other, so that some patients in the absence of a superior vena cava ( Such as the lungs) transfer before a skull, spine, Pengu, such as the transfer.

For a long time, people found that breast cancer may have been in attendance at the distant metastasis, despite the clinical was not attending to, this constitutes a conservative implementation of the theoretical basis for chemotherapy. According to today has been able to tumor size, lymph node involvement in the number and variety of other biological characteristics of a preliminary estimate of distant metastases minimal level of risk exists.

Breast Cancer Symptoms - What to Look Out For?

2008-07-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

Cancer is rapidly increasing every day. There are so many different types of cancer that it's almost impossible to not know someone who has been affected by it. One of the most rapidly increasing forms of cancer is breast cancer. It is important for us to know what the breast cancer symptoms are so that we can seek necessary treatments early, thereby increasing our chances of an early recovery.

Breast cancer has steadily been on the rise since the 1970's and its rise often blamed on modern western lifestyles. It's the number 2 most common form of cancer worldwide and is the number 5 most common cause of cancer death. For North American women, it is the number 2 cause of cancer death after lung cancer.

Early symptoms of breast cancer are usually breast pain or a painful lump. Since the invention of breast mammograms, breast cancer is found as an asymptomatic nodule even before any symptoms arise. When the cancer has reached small vessels under the skin, known as dermal lymphatic, it can represent itself as a skin inflammatory. This inflammatory can cause pain, swelling, redness, warmth, and an "orange peel" like texture to the skin.

Cancer of the breast can also represent itself as a metastatic disease meaning that it can spread to other areas in the body. The common places it spreads to are the bones, the liver, the lungs and the brain. Rapid unexpected weight loss can be another symptom of this type of cancer, as well as chills bone and joint pain.

Since this form of cancer is becoming increasingly more common, doctors have encouraged all women to get regular mammogram x-rays. Mammogram x-rays are relatively fast, cheap and accurate and are available in most countries. Mammograms have shown to reduce the breast cancer mortality rate by 20 or 30%.

Because of the increase in the incidence of breast cancer, especially in North America, more and more people are becoming aware of it. It is important for us to know what these breast cancer symptoms are so that we can consult our doctor early. Ironically, although cancer of the breast is most common among women, men can also get this type of cancer. Hence, it is of utmost importance that we should pay close attention to our bodies, especially our breast, and arrest any cancer growth before it becomes a major problem to us. A regiment of periodical self-check of our body, especially our breast, should be encouraged.

Breast Cancer

2008-06-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

2008-06-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

Coping With Breast Cancer - Ten Survival Tips

2008-06-27T07:30:00.002-07:00

In Chinese, a crisis is expressed in two characters: danger and hidden opportunity. As a breast-cancer survivor, I have faced many challenges, but God has revealed to me opportunities that translate into incredible blessings. I share some suggestions below for those struggling with this disease.

1. Ponder scriptures

Let biblical passages like Psalm 119:105 (likening the Word of God to a lamp) illuminate pathways for healing and reveal any encroaching thorny thickets. Use verses as your penlight to avoid stumbling around in the darkness.

When I joined the ranks of breast-cancer survivors, I clung to Psalm 23 for solace. During chemotherapy I reflected on how God was comforting me as I walked through my own valley of the shadow. Review the list of common emotions in the front or back of your Bible to locate verses that speak to particular sentiments, such as worry, weariness, or fear. Gideon Bibles found in many hotels contain these sections to ease the troubled traveler's mind.

2. Pray unceasingly

One of my childhood treasures was a book entitled "The Lord's Prayer." Each page was inscribed with a verse from Jesus' model prayer in Matt. 6:9-13. Bright illustrations of kneeling children with uplifted hands accompanied each verse. I was captivated by the images. Although as a child I was not yet ready for Jesus' heartrending prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, this picture book was early preparation for a more mature prayer life.

Prayer is a powerful tool. Like African prayer warriors thriving in the midst of deprivation, during my treatment I lifted prayers to the only One who could take away troubling emotions and side-effects. Lying in bed, I visualized my pallet being lifted to God through the roof in a reverse move from the paralytic brought from the roof to Jesus for healing in Mark 2. I strongly felt God's healing warmth as I prayer-walked upward to meet Him.

3. Treasure fellowship

As a cancer survivor I most assuredly relished the cards, hugs, prayers, and empathy of friends. The blessings of others that dispelled my pouts through bouts of cancer were crucial to healing. Hebrews 10: 24-25 tells us to encourage one another and meet regularly for worship and fellowship. The latter can include simply listening, sharing a meal, or offering a Bible study to encourage camaraderie and spiritual enrichment. My husband and I were blessed by the insights shared at our home Bible study during my cancer treatment.

4. Make church attendance a priority

Ideally, the breast cancer survivor should attend a local church, for reasons extending beyond congregational worship. Shortly after I was diagnosed with cancer, members of a former church we attended rallied around me in prayer for healing. Their love transcended church membership, and coalesced with that of members of our new church. These compassionate individuals provided needed meals and child care as well as spiritual support, something I would have missed had I not attended church.

If your breast cancer has left you home-bound or residing in a facility, you can find other options to connect with a church. Ideas include listening to a radio station offering Bible studies and uplifting choir or praise music, watching a Christian worship service on TV, or enjoying sermons from a visiting pastor.

5. Obtain Biblical counseling

Counseling from a biblical perspective can address many issues with which breast cancer survivors struggle, including guilt, anger, and non-forgiveness. I sought counseling from a local church and a crisis pregnancy center for issues arising from my cancer diagnoses. If these resources are not available, on-line tools are at the disposal of the computer literate. Some people prefer the anonymity of e-mail counseling. Focus on the Family (at (800) A-FAMILY) provides referrals for telephonic counseling sessions.

Financial counseling may be available through a local church, the American Cancer Society, or resources written by Christian financial experts such as Larry Burkett. I learned to organize my bills and health information into labeled file folders, and used my insurance company's website to access histories of appointments and payment records.

6. Recognize life seasons

The time spanning when I was first diagnosed to the end of treatment was only for a season. Recognize with Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 the times for every activity under heaven. Of all the seasons listed in this passage, "a time to laugh" appeals to me most. Many studies show that humor helps relieve stress, combat depression, and extend quality of life.

My three sons, ranging in age from 3 to 11 when I was diagnosed, reacted to my cancer by watching how I responded. Comic relief went a long way to dispel the tension they felt. I thoroughly enjoy watching these boys laugh at black-and-white slapstick comedians like Abbott and Costello and at modern-day comedies like "Chicken Run."

"A time to dance" is another fun season. Try some salsa dancing, like a survivor I overheard in the chemotherapy infusion room. It will lift your spirits as well as your feet, control weight, and rev your circulation to the max!

7. Witness using personal testimony

While Christians don't always recover from diseases even though prayed for, they can still use their adversity to glorify God in their lives. Jesus modeled that approach when he delayed coming to Lazarus in Bethany until Lazarus died. The story is found in John 11:3-6. When Jesus heard of Lazarus' sickness, he assured his followers that the outcome would be God-glorifying. Often, the more severe the suffering, the more wondrously God works through the power of personal testimony.

On the Titanic, some Christians gladly relinquished their places on life rafts to the unsaved, witnessing powerfully to their faith in eternal life. We've also heard of Christians in the burning World Trade Center on 9-11-01 witnessing in their last moments to non-believers in the midst of unimaginable terror. 2 Timothy 1:8 admonishes us not to be ashamed to testify about our Lord. It challenges me to go forth boldly, knowing that none can take away my personal story.

My husband's emails on God's mercy throughout my cancer ordeal were sent to all who were curious how I was bearing up. God is faithful in fanning the global fire of the gospel through such testimony.

8. Resolve to understand God

Some disasters shake us to our very core. When I felt myself helplessly mired in the muck of cancer, I recalled Jesus' parable in Matt. 7:24-27. He reassured us that we are set on solid ground, not in sinking sand. As I put our Savior's words into practice, God pulled me up and out of cancer-induced depression and into an indescribable joy. He is the Rock upon which I set my hope.

In the midst of the unexpected, God is there. For example, on September 11, 2001 otherwise annoying delays on their way to work saved some employees' lives. Now, when I am stuck in traffic and an ambulance rushes by on its way to the accident ahead, I bow my head in prayer for the ones affected by such tragedy, rather than wallowing in self-pity over the minor nuisance of a traffic jam. We should consciously determine to understand how God is using such seeming disturbances and thank him for them.

9. Find volunteering opportunities

Almost two millennia ago, Paul taught that all the commandments are summed up in loving your neighbor as yourself (Romans 13:9). Breast-cancer survivors are greatly appreciative of all the sacrifices of others from which they have benefited. Below are some ideas for showing love to fellow cancer strugglers.

If there is no breast-cancer support group in your area, start one. The locale might be your own church for women who are most comfortable in a Christian environment. Or you can volunteer for a local American Cancer Society branch, helping women in myriad ways.

Counseling others in person or by phone or email is another viable possibility. Open any Bible and appropriate passages will jump out to address the situation at hand. Courses on training counselors might be offered at a local church or on-line.

In another vein, you can ask your oncologist if you are eligible to participate in a clinical trial. Not only would you receive state-of-the-art treatment, but you would be personally contributing to advancement of breast cancer research. In this way, the survivor can directly make a difference in moving the whole planet Earth to a "cancer-free zone."

10. Leave behind stereotypes

Stereotyping often leads to judgment. People who appear to have their lives together may not. Jesus taught us in Luke 6:37 not to judge, so that we would not be judged. The breast cancer survivor should not presume that a person who avoids her or doesn't laugh at her jokes cares nothing for her. Some people limited their discussions with me because they didn't trust how they would handle difficult emotions. Certain nurses find it hard to identify with patients' humor because they witness daily so much devastation in the lives of others.

Global Breast Cancer Crisis-Update

2008-06-27T07:30:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned in my earlier article, breast cancer is now a global concern. Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in United States causing the death of millions women. A recent study has shown that women having a vitamin D deficiency when a breast cancer is diagnosed have a greater death rate than those having a proper amount of vitamin D. This is striking example of the importance of vitamin D in the prevention of breast cancer.

Vitamin D was discovered in 1919 after vitamins A, B and C. This vitamin is playing and essential role in calcium absorption, in the bones growth as well as in the good functioning of the organs of our body. Unlike other vitamins that come from nutrition, most of vitamin D (around 90%) comes from the action of the sun on our skin. This important role of the sun in the vitamin D production is a problem for the populations leaving in the north parts of the world, less exposed to sunlight particularly during winter. Studies have shown that people living in northern countries have a vitamin D deficiency during winter time.

BREAST CANCER DISLIKES VITAMIN "D"

This vitamin D deficiency can be very dangerous because this vitamin can prevent the development of various types of cancer, mainly colon and breast cancer. A study published in The Breast Cancer Journal 2008, it is mentioned that more you are away from the equator, so with less sunshine, greater is the impact of breast cancer because women in those regions have less vitamin D in their blood. Researchers from the University of Toronto have showed not only that vitamin D has a protective effect in the prevention but also in the likelihood to survive to a breast cancer. It is tragic to say and it has been proven, 73% of women with a vitamin D deficiency have greater risk to die from this illness.

INCREASE VITAMIN D INTAKE

It is easy to conclude from those results that it is essential to increase vitamin D intake in order to prevent more efficiently cancer and breast cancer. International experts recommend to increase vitamin D daily intake from 200 UI to 1000 UI in order to reduce cancer risks. From May to September, with a ten minutes exposure to the sun, the body can produce up to 10,000 UI of vitamin D. But, it is advised to be careful because too much exposure can increase the risks of skin cancer. From October to April, it is important to rely on other sources of vitamin D intake including natural supplements with a content of 1000 UI per capsule. It is simple, economical and efficient. Take action and increase your vitamin D intake to live a healthier and longer life.

Breast Cancer Surgery - The Basics

2008-06-27T07:29:00.002-07:00

The breast cancer surgery is done to make sure that the cancerous tissue is removed and make sure that the breast is saved by removing the malignant tissue. The aim is to remove the unwanted growth of the tumor while it is localized which means that the tumor has not spread itself throughout the breast.

As far as types of breast cancer surgery goes there are several types of breast surgery and the doctor in consultation with you will decide the best surgery possible. Mostly the decision to go with one type of surgery versus the other is taken because of the medical needs. There are various factors that decide what surgery is the best course of action like the size of the tumor, the location of the tumor and the type of breast cancer.

In most ideal case the surgeon will recommend the lumpectomy which means that the cancerous tissue is removed along with the surrounding normal tissue to stop the growth of the tissue in its tracks.

Then there is partial mastectomy whereby a larger part of the breast tissue is removed along with the surrounding normal tissue. The third kind is the mastectomy where the entire breast is removed. This is done to prevent the cancer from spreading to the lymph nodes. In some cases the breast along with the lymph nodes are removed and this is known as modified radial mastectomy.

In all the cases there is follow up radiation therapy to treat the removing breast tissue and also there is post recuperative recovery period stay ion the hospital for some period of time. That period of time is two or three days in case of complete mastectomies.

The breast cancer surgery can be followed up by the breast re constructive surgery which is known as augmentation mammaplasty or in simple terms the breast augmentation.

Make sure to consult your surgeon for any side effects because of the follow up radiation therapy. Also if you need to undergo re constructive surgery then make sure that you get medical advice as there may be cases where re constructive surgery may not be possible immediately.

Breast Cancer - Cure and Treatments

2008-06-27T07:29:00.001-07:00

Breast cancer is one of the most feared diseases which nobody wants to be diagnosed with. From all the media attention it receives today a person would think that progress is being made towards finding a cure, but unfortunately the opposite is true, as the breast cancer rates are still climbing.

The main reason why it is still increasing is that we don't have prevention, despite all the causes of breast cancer being well known. Also the reason why we don't have a cure for breast cancer is because all our current treatments are very good at generating profits for the companies that are involved and in control of the industry.

The well known slogan telling woman that early detection will lead to a cure, is a myth! Early detection is beneficial only to the breast cancer industry through their statistics. If they can detect breast cancer early then the 'meter' that measures the 5 year survival cycle starts running earlier. The patient then has a better chance of passing the critical 5 year period and therefore deemed a 'survivor', regardless of the patients health after 5 years. Also early detection slogans helps recruit woman into the breast cancer industry.

The causes of breast cancer have been well known for many years. There is a cure for the disease and it is very simple. Remove all the known factors that have caused it to begin with, then with the amazing self healing powers of the human body (which we all have) it will remove the cancer naturally and permanently.

What our medical system is doing is looking for complex answers to a simple problem. Breast cancer does not need aggressive toxic treatments that damage the body. To cure breast cancer a person only needs to respect the laws of Mother Nature by living as we are supposed to and especially eating the foods we have been designed to eat, these being freshly grown fruit and vegetables.

The breast cancer industry will continue to research cures for the disease, but they will never succeed. Cancer is similar to scurvy which is simply a vitamin C deficiency and the only way to cure scurvy is naturally. Breast cancer is exactly the same, it is a disease of a weak immune system and there are only natural ways to strengthen it. And this is why the breast cancer industry hasn't made any progress in finding a cure, despite looking for nearly 40 years. A drug to cure breast cancer does not exist.

There are some other factors that contribute to breast cancer. For example, our sedentary lifestyle and the toxic products which we use every day can all contribute to the problem. What you must do is research and learn more about breast cancer and what's going on in the industry today. Breast cancer does have a permanent cure but it is not with our mainstream toxic treatments of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Mammograms Do Save Lives! - Part 3

2008-06-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

A Mammogram is the only exam to show early stage Breast Cancer. Other exams such as Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine and MRI are done after a Breast Mass is found.

Let's say you were 'called back' after your Mammogram for micro-calcifications. The additional views appear suspicious. What's next? One of two things will happen.

1) Needle Biopsy (Stereo Tactic Core Biopsy)
2) Needle localization followed by surgery

Stereo Tactic Core Biopsy (that's what I had!) is done by a Radiologist in the Mammography Department. You lie on your stomach on a table with a hole in it. The hole is where your breast goes! All the work is done under the table.They numb your breast, and the needle captures the calcifications and removes them from your breast. A Pathologist will test the tissue for malignancy.

Needle Localization is also done by a Radiologist in the Mammography Department. You can stand or sit during this procedure.They numb your breast, and a needle is placed to localize the calcification area. You will then go to surgery and a Surgeon will remove the tissue around the needle. The tissue is sent back to the Mammography Department and imaged. This ensures the suspicious area is removed.

A breast mass that can be felt doesn't require any localization procedures. The surgeon can remove it easily.

I'm sure you've heard of stories where a woman had a Mammogram and 6 months later she had full blown Breast Cancer. One of the reasons for this is she might have been pre-menapausal and her hormones accelerated the growth. This is a very aggressive type of breast cancer.

My worst case that still makes me cry is a 32 y/o pregnant woman who developed a breast mass. I imaged her breasts (shielding her pregnant tummy with a lead apron) and she had a biopsy. It was malignant and 5 months later she had to abort her baby and she died.Her pregnancy hormones fed the cancer and it spread quickly. That will stay with me for the rest of my life.

What happens if your biopsy is positive (malignant)? Your choices are:

1) Lumpectomy (remove mass area only) with Radiation Therapy and possible Chemo Therapy.
You will have close Mammographic follow ups for several years.
2) Radical Mastectomy (remove entire breast and axillary lymph nodes). The lymph nodes are tested for malignancy. These results will determine your Radiation and/or Chemo treatments.
You will have close follow ups of your remaining breast.

If your biopsy is negative (benign) you will have a 6 month follow up of the affected breast, if all's well you will return to your normal Mammography schedule.

Breast Cancer is not for women only. In my career I've seen several men with Breast Cancer. They had mastectomies and a Mammogram of the remaining breast yearly. Men don't know to examine themselves. In most cases their wives found the lump and sent them to the Doctor!

One man I remember was a nice big guy. When I compressed his breast he offered to help. He pushed the compression paddle down himself! On his way out he fixed our squeaky door!!
He was a hoot!

Mammograms Do Save Lives! Part 1

2008-06-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

I specialized in Mammography for 25 years. This exam is possibly the most hated by women. Unfortunately, it's all we have for now. It's the only exam that will detect early stage Breast Cancer. Many patients experience pain and discomfort from the compression of the breast, but firm compression is most important.

The purposes of firm compression are to stabilize and separate the breast tissue to see it more clearly. It also thins the breast, resulting in a lower dose of radiation. I went to a seminar, and they presented two exams on the same patient. One with light compression, and one with firm compression. The light one was read as normal, but the firm one clearly showed a cancerous area. Scary!!

Another reason for firm compression is to minimize motion. Think of a photograph with something moving during the picture. What happens? You guessed it! Blurring occurs causing loss of detail. This is why X-Ray techs say "hold your breath!"

A routine Mammogram consists of 4 images, 2 views of each breast. This is necessary to localize a suspicious area. Extremely large breasted women require more images because their breasts are too large for the film! Breast implant patients require 8 images. The first 4 images are the standard views, mostly to see the axillary (armpit) area and the overall condition of the implant itself. The other 4 images are referred to as 'push back' views. The implant is 'pushed back' and only the breast tissue is compressed and imaged.

You should get your first (screening) Mammogram at age 40. Your 'risk factors' determine how often you should have one. It is important to make prior Mammograms available for the Radiologist to compare the images. He can detect changes in the tissue and respond more accurately. You might have a 'suspicious' area that would result in a 'call back' for additional views, but if a Prior Mammogram showed the same thing and it is unchanged, then you would not have to get the additional views.

Risk factors are:
1) Family history of breast cancer
2) Early menses (started your period before age 12)
3) Late menapause
4) Hormone replacement therapy
5) Long term use of birth control pills

The Environment and a poor diet have also been linked to breast cancer. You should eat a Healthy Diet to help lower your breast cancer risk. Sadly, we can't avoid the environment!

If you are in the normal risk factor range, you should get your first Mammogram at age 40. Follow up every 2 years until you are 50. After that, once a year is the standard for all women.

Your risk factor is even higher if your mother, maternal aunt, sister or grandmother had Premenapausal (younger than age 50) Breast cancer. This is a more aggressive form due to hormones accelerating its' growth. In this case I would recommend your first Mammogram at age 35 and have yearly follow-ups.

Before you have your Mammogram, make sure the facility and the Radiologist are Accredited! You will receive the best quality because they have to follow strict guidelines on a daily basis.

If you have tender breasts, try cutting back on caffeine and take a daily dose of Vitamin E. This has been proven to decrease sensitivity in your breast.

How Do You Know When You Have Breast Cancer

2008-06-24T07:19:00.001-07:00

How do you know if you are a candidate for cancer? It is based on a genetic criteria and your overall health. The best way to avoid this life changing illness is to be sure to do your annual check ups and to stay in close contact with your physician and to stay updated on all the new information and technology in regards to this illness. Another way to stay on top of things is to talk to other individuals who have dealt with this illness and have to go through all the chemo and radiation treatments and how it has affected not only them but also their loved ones.

Some ways to help with preventing this from invading your life and the lives of those who you are close to is to eat a proper diet,exercise regularly, and do your monthly self breast exams. Doing you MBE (monthly breast exams) is not a cure but can lead to very early detection and easier to get under control. It takes up to seven years for a cancerous mass to grow to the size of a pea. So be sure to be more cautious and aware of this disease.

The best way to beat it is to be educated and use your resources to become more aware of the causes and ways to cure it and to live a long and prosperous life. With that in mind if you ever have any questions or concerns in regards to this matter please feel free to contact me and I will be more then willing to help you the best that I can.

I am a mom of 4 children and 2 of them are girls. This subject is very important not only to us moms but it can be critical to our daughters as they grow up. The more we educate ourselves on this disease the more we can help our children when they grow up and they can live by our example. If we take care of ourselves they will follow suit.

Cancer Misdiagnosis

2008-06-24T07:18:00.002-07:00

Importance of Early Diagnosis

Sometimes, physicians fail to properly diagnose cancer in their patients. In fact, the leading cause of all medical error or medical malpractice lawsuits is the misdiagnosis of cancer.

Timely detection of cancer is a matter of life and death.

For example, breast cancer has a 95% survival rate when caught at its earliest stage. When breast cancer advances to "stage 4." an individual only has a 7% chance of survival. Indeed, the key to successful treatment of most types of cancer is early diagnosis.

Other types of common cancers for which early treatment is crucial are cancer of the prostate, cervix, colon, lung, kidney, ovaries, skin, and testicles. It is important for your family physician to check for cancers that may pose a greater risk to you, due to your family history, gender, or age. Most cancer tests are painless. Regular cancer screening and early diagnosis can greatly increase your prospects for a long and quality life.

Some of the mistakes that a doctor may make in screening for cancer include:

* Failure to understand or notice the nature of a patient's complaints.
* Failure to order the proper test, such as a mammogram or PSA test.
* Failure to properly read or interpret test results.
* Failure to refer a patient to a specialist for further testing.
* Failure to note that a patient's family history increases the risk of a particular type of cancer.
* Failure to notice a mass or mistaking a malignant mass for one that is benign.
* Failure to run routine tests, such as a prostrate screening for males over age fifty.
* Failure to test someone who is at risk, because of age or ethnicity. For example, African-American males are at increased risk of prostrate cancer and need screening tests from the age of forty.
* Failure to follow-up with a patient if cancer should be suspected.

Sometimes, the reason for delayed cancer diagnosis is not the fault of a physician. You need to take care of your own health and get medical check-ups.

If you have discomfort, pain, an unusual lump or mass, or other health concerns, be sure to tell your doctor. Also, let your physician know about any family or personal history of cancer. If you believe that you are not being adequately screened for cancer risks, then you should express this concern to your physician. Never be afraid to seek a second opinion, if you think one is required.

There are many reasons why you should talk with a medical malpractice lawyer about your legal rights after an instance of cancer misdiagnosis. After you or a loved one suffers from a cancer misdiagnosis, it is important to talk with a personal injury attorney with experience in medical malpractice law for several compelling reasons:

Put a Fighter In Your Corner

Insurance companies will vigorously fight against paying damages to an medical malpractice victim -- especially cases involving cancer misdiagnosis. You need a law firm that will vigorously represent your interests in these proceedings and counsel you as your claim progresses.

Peace of Mind

You owe it to yourself and your family to seek experienced legal counsel. To protect all your legal rights, you need a law firm that is well versed in the complicated laws that govern medical malpractice law.

The Financial Impact of Injuries

The cost of a cancer misdiagnosis can be catastrophic. This is an extreme hardship when the injuries make work impossible and rent, gas, and medical bills start to accumulate. You need a law firm that will help you recover these costs from the insurance company or the at-fault party. A study recently indicated that injured parties represented by legal counsel obtain far greater recoveries than those individuals who attempt to represent their own interests.

Breast Cancer on the Job - How My Faith Delivered Me

2008-06-24T07:18:00.001-07:00

Daily ringing in my ears over a decade ago was the mantra of the Seven Dwarves, with an Oliver twist: "Want more, want clothes, it's off to work I s'pose." Rather than wielding mining picks to uncover jewels, I was probing for legal gems deep within the dark recesses of the law. As a patent attorney in middle management, I not only supervised the work of six attorneys, but also managed my own heavy case load. And I was raising three sons of grade-school age with my husband while teaching Sunday school.

Whizzing through the tunnel-visions of the fast lane, I found scheduling of routine preventative medical tests to be inconvenient. Although I did manage to secure a baseline mammogram at age 40, it revealed nothing of concern. And a second scan the next year showed no abnormalities. So, I thought smugly, I don't need to be so vigilant. Postponement of mammograms was reinforced by a false impression that vegetarians don't get breast cancer, particularly those my age who exercise and have no genetic predisposition. So work and family obligations dominated my life, punctuated by restful interludes of worship on Sundays.

Until I found a suspicious lump in my breast at age 43.

After the lump was confirmed as breast cancer, I sought God in earnest. Prayer support from friends and strangers alike was crucial to my treatment decisions and emotional healing. I opted for a lumpectomy with chemotherapy and radiation. Since I was generally in good health, I resumed work about a month after the operation.

Strange sensations enveloped me as I returned to the office. Nagging me was the notion that cancer is aggravated, if not caused, by undue stress. When I began chemotherapy, I would feel too sick immediately after each infusion to tackle serious assignments. My employer generously accommodated a reduced work schedule on those occasions. Valiant attempts were made to balance God-centered activities with work, exercise, and family-and deal with the distress of having cancer at the prime of my career.

Working while undergoing chemotherapy was nevertheless restorative. Giving advice to colleagues during treatment satisfied a deep longing within me to be needed. My work responsibilities offered a diversion from anxiety and gave me a sense of professional worth. Through Christ's intervention I called in sick only rarely, when I felt too ill to drive.

After chemotherapy I endured radiation, missing work every morning for six weeks straight. But God bestowed His grace upon me again as I bounced back unscathed from each treatment.

Shortly after radiation ended, when I turned 44, my manager, a Vice-President, died unexpectedly from an apparent heart attack. This reality check made me seek relief from heavy management responsibility. Sustained in prayer, I decided with my new director's blessing to supervise only three attorneys and a paralegal, and work part-time. Consequently, my schedule was reduced to a four-day work week.

In corporate America, I imagine that the "cancer survivor" track that I chose is viewed similarly to the "mommy track." In both cases circumstances alter the employee's sense of what is most important in the work-life balance. Cancer became for me an acceptable excuse for dethroning work from its exalted position atop my list of priorities.

Scuttlebutt kicked into high gear at the proverbial office coolers when I forsook the management track. But I gladly said sayonara to competing in the special Olympic event of vaulting through the glass ceiling. And said hello to being more of a respected work advisor.

Several months after that I moved away from corporate headquarters and began remote telecommuting from Northern California, managing only an attorney and a paralegal. I would make regular 200-mile road trips back to the San Francisco Bay Area to have face-time with employees as needed. And I settled into a workspace with dormer windows overlooking the garden amidst God's bounteous creation.

While it lasted, I treasured the one day a week I had off from work. Some of that time was used to contemplate what it meant not to slave every weekday. But occasional weekend spillovers of work continued.

Notwithstanding the tangible advantages of part-time work, after a year I realized the greater efficiencies of having a continuous work week, and decided to resume full-time employment. Not long afterward, a new malignant tumor emerged in the same breast.

Coping with cancer treatments this second time was decidedly easier for me as a distant telecommuter. Although I was destined to undergo bilateral mastectomies and more aggressive chemotherapy, at least I didn't have to dress up and commute in traffic among home, headquarters, and hospitals. The logistics of juggling work and cancer treatments is daunting enough without coping with metropolitan stressors.

Being able to take a spur-of-the-moment nap whenever fatigue set in was an added perk.
Further, contact with myriad people at the corporate office would increase my risk of getting an infection. In the general work environment, the best policy was to wash my hands as often as I thought about it.

This hygienic routine paid off during business travel, when I was exposed to the public on planes. I worked out my travel schedule between treatments, coordinating with the oncology nurses. Travel plans could be scuttled at a moment's notice due to side effects, such as low counts of white blood cells. But God in His mercy knows my love of travel. I never fell ill when on trans-continental-or even trans-Atlantic-flights for business reasons.

Resolved to conquer any anxiety during this season of harsh chemo, I resolved to journal my blessings. One entry: "American Cancer Society provided wigs, bras-and alleluia-complimentary make-up!"

Another journal entry chronicled my excellent employment situation. My husband was a self-employed real estate agent during my cancer bouts, with no medical coverage. Besides upholding my professional dignity, the job I had provided my family with premium, low co-pay health insurance. And my company was the ideal employer for me at that time. Had I quit the work force and sought new insurance as a cancer survivor, I would have faced astronomical premiums to secure near-comparable health coverage. Alternatively, if I had changed employers to assume a less demanding position, I would have had to re-build trust in the new environment.

My perfectionism has waned since cancer reared its ugly head. I'm sure this represents progress, but somehow it would lack pizzazz on a résumé. Imagine the line: "Lawyer seeks position with laid-back company to interact with clients and draft documents under relaxing circumstances with regular breaks." Not a good first impression. Employers should understand, nonetheless, that the most perfect employees are not perfectionists.

My cancer diagnoses allowed me to reflect on what God considers most important in my life, and to make changes where changes make sense. Having a deeper appreciation for my co-workers' struggles, I regularly exercise my muscles of compassion toward them.

Coping With Breast Cancer - Ten Survival Tips

2008-06-24T07:17:00.002-07:00

Global Breast Cancer Crisis-Update

2008-06-24T07:17:00.001-07:00

Breast Cancer Surgery - The Basics

2008-06-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer

2008-06-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer Awareness Facts Every Woman Should Know

2007-06-13T00:47:00.001-07:00

Nothing is more important than your health-you have heard this for years and years and finally realize that this true. A major disease that strikes thousands of women every year can be detected early and the survival rate is increasing.
Did you know that every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer or that more than 211,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the United States? You should know a few simple facts about breast cancer awareness that could save your life.
You know the routine and that you should follow your doctor's recommendations to get a mammogram on a regular basis—whether every 3 years or every year, this simple test can detect early changes in your breasts.
There are also self examinations that you should perform every month at home. I know what you are thinking-what a pain, but you can make this a simple procedure you do the first of every month when taking your shower. This is a particularly good time because your body is wet and the soap helps your hands move quickly and easily over your skin as you check for lumps.
Other than these two proactive items you can do, what else can help you be more diligent about breast cancer awareness? This is also simple and easy to follow. Be aware of the different symptoms of breast cancer. These include but are not limited to feeling a small, firm and painless lump; checking your skin for unusual swelling or appearance; a difference in size or shape that was never there before.
Also, you should know what your nipples look like-as women, we usually neglect ourselves to take care of others. Do you know what your nipples look like and would you know if there was a change in them? If the skin on your nipples changes texture, has a rash or discharge or suddenly become inverted-this is a great time to go and see your doctor.
Knowing everything you can about breast cancer awareness will provide you with an opportunity to not only take care of yourself but also your mother, sisters, daughters and friends. As women, we are bound by our common fear and misunderstanding of this terrible disease, but it does not have to be a death sentence. Early detection and treatment has increased the survival rate of breast cancer survivors to over 90%.
Become active in your community whether helping to coordinate a mammogram day at your church or office where women can sign up for the test. If you are already a survivor, sign up with your local hospital to talk to women currently being treated for the disease—they need to see that life will once again be normal for them.
We are all sisters in this battle to educate each other about breast cancer awareness and to help each other through our morale support and love for each other.

Ju's Breast Cancer Experience Part 2: Initial Reaction When Diagnosed With Cancer

2007-06-13T00:46:00.003-07:00

Ju came from a closely-knitted family of five sisters and two brothers. She was thirty-six years old when diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995 – a most unexpected and shocking episode indeed. It has been twelve years since her diagnosis and Ju is still doing fine. In May 2007, I conducted an in-depth interview of her case.
Q: Tell us how the problem started.
Ju: It was 1995. My son was only seven years old then. I always felt numbness in my right hand. One night while sleeping, I felt a lump in my right breast. I jokingly told my husband, “Alamak! What if this turns out to be cancerous?” I tried doing qigong etc. When I did it, there was no numbness. When I didn’t do it, it came back again. In those days, I did not read and do not know much about cancer. After the check-up, the surgeon confirmed there was a lump and advised a lumpectomy. So, I went in the morning to have the lump removed. It was a 4 – 5 cm tumor. Two weeks later, the doctor confirmed that it was cancer and I was asked to go for a mastectomy. I refused mastectomy. The first thought that came to her mind was: “Who is going to take care of my six-year old boy?” To most people, cancer is a death sentence.
Q: Why didn’t you want to remove the whole breast?
Ju: Because I always believe in natural healing. I believe that our body can heal by itself, if given a chance to do so. That was one of the main reasons. I also believe strongly in going back to nature even before my diagnosis.
Q: Then, why did you go for the lumpectomy?
Ju: I thought that something that is not supposed to be there, better to remove it.
Q: So it is okay to remove a lump?
Ju: (Nodded in agreement).
Q: But to remove breast?
Ju: No.
Q: Apart from believing in nature, is losing a breast something that you do not want to happen? How would you feel as a lady?
Ju: I believe that our body is not permanent. Our body is only for us to use temporarily for a good cause. So, I am not very attached to any part of my body. And I have a very good husband who said that whatever I wanted to do, I should just go ahead. He supported my decisions. And for me, any decision I make, it is my life.
Q: So, you don’t mind losing a part of your breast? Removing a breast is okay?
Ju: Yes, but at that point of time, I said no. I felt that a lumpectomy had just been done. My body had hardly recovered fully and you want me to go for a mastectomy? That was one of the reasons why I was not for it.
Q: So, it is not so much of “my breast is precious” and I do not wanting to lose the breast?
Ju: I never felt like that at all.
Q: You mentioned that you believe that natural healing is the best. Did you grow up with this kind of thought? Was it because of your family? Or something that you had learned or was exposed to?
Ju: I believe in the way and life of Buddha’s teaching. We are all part of nature. I believe in karma too. Whatever has to happen has to happen. And it my case, it had already happened. So, let it be. The important thing is to live. If I could, my aim was to have a life and hope to see my son grow up. I started to read books. I learnt that there was no guarantee of a cure, irrespective of whether I do a mastectomy or a lumpectomy. There is no difference.
Q: When you were told that you had cancer, how did you take the news?
Ju: When I went back home, I was with my family. So, we sat down. My husband, my sister and all, and I really cried. I let it all out. The only person I did not tell was my mum. I didn’t want my mum to worry at that time.
Q: In front of everybody? Others cried too?
Ju: Oh yes.
Q: In 1995 when you felt a lump in your right breast, you went to the hospital. What made you decide to go for the lumpectomy? How long was the time between discovering the lump and going to the hospital?
Ju: Something like four to five months. Given a choice I wouldn’t want to go for medical intervention. But because after doing the qigong and change of diet, I could still feel the lump and a little numbness in the body
Q: When change of diet and exercise did not help, you went to the hospital. What happened?
Ju: I went to the Specialists’ Centre. After the surgeon examined me, he said, “Oh, very simple. Only the operation. Just come in the morning and in the afternoon, you can go back.” He scheduled it for a week later.
Q: Were you ready for the lumpectomy?
Ju: Oh yes! Once I made up my mind, that’s it.
Q: So you wanted to get rid of it?
Ju: Yes.
Q: When did you break the news to your family?
Ju: After the lumpectomy -- after the lab results came back. I went to see the surgeon again with my husband and my son. My son was running around -- I can still remember that. The doctor did not stage my cancer, except that it was a very early stage. But he told me this: “If you do your mastectomy, I guarantee you that you will be cancer-free.” But I did not believe him. I am very skeptical about things. I did not go back to see him anymore. I realized that it was only I, myself who could take care of my well-being.
Q: This lumpectomy -- was it a family decision or your own?
Ju: I made up my own mind.
Q: Did he suggest any other treatment?
Ju: No. He said that a mastectomy was good enough for me.
Q: How do you find your doctor? Was he an understanding person? Was he nice to you?
Ju: Yes. He did not pressure me. He just did his job.
Q: Was he fair to you?
Ju: Yes. I voiced out what I felt and he did not react negatively.
Comments
The Cartesian Medicine treats the human body as a machine devoid of mind and soul. Doctors pronounce the diagnosis in a matter-of-fact matter and the removal of women’s breasts is nothing more than a routine procedure. Patients react to doctors’ diagnosis and prognosis with great emotional pains and distress. Ju “really cried” and let it all out -- this is something we encourage patients to do.
How a person reacts to an initial cancer diagnosis varies from one individual to another. Some even try to deny it. Others try to find scapegoats but in Ju’s case “whatever has to happen has to happen.” She did not wallow in self-pity or indulge in a blaming game. Her attitude was, since it has already happened, what then is the next step to move forward.

Breast Cancer - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

2007-06-13T00:46:00.001-07:00

Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) growth that begins in the tissues of the breast. Over the course of a lifetime, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is a cancer of the breast tissue, which can occur in both women and men. Breast cancer may be one of the oldest known forms of cancer tumors in humans.Worldwide, breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death (after lung cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, and colon cancer). Breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any cancer except lung cancer. Today, breast cancer, like other forms of cancer, is considered to be a result of damage to DNA. How this mechanism may occur comes from several known or hypothesized factors (such as exposure to ionizing radiation, or viral mutagenesis). Some factors lead to an increased rate of mutation (exposure to estrogens) and decreased repair (the BRCA1, BRCA2 and p53) genes. Alcohol generally appears to increase the risk of breast cancer.
Breast cancer can also occur in men, although it rarely does. Experts predict 178,000 women and 2,000 men will develop breast cancer in the United States. There are several different types of breast cancer. First is Ductal carcinoma begins in the cells lining the ducts that bring milk to the nipple and accounts for more than 75% of breast cancers. Second is Lobular carcinoma begins in the milk-secreting glands of the breast but is otherwise fairly similar in its behavior to ductal carcinoma. Other varieties of breast cancer can arise from the skin, fat, connective tissues, and other cells present in the breast. Some women have what is known as HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2, short for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2, is a gene that helps control cell growth, division, and repair. When cells have too many copies of this gene, cell growth speeds up.
Causes of Breast Cancer
Simply being a woman is the main risk for breast cancer. While men can also get the disease, it is about 100 times more common in women than in men. The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. Nearly 8 out of 10 breast cancers are found in women age 50 or older. About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are linked to changes (mutations) in certain genes. The most common gene changes are those of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have this disease. The relatives can be from either the mother’s or father’s side of the family. Woman with cancer in one breast has a greater chance of getting a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. This is different from the first cancer coming back Many experts now believe that the main reason for this is because they have faster growing tumors. Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian women have a lower risk of getting breast cancer. Certain types of abnormal biopsy results can be linked to a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.Women who have had radiation treatment to the chest area (as treatment for another cancer) earlier in life have a greatly increased risk of breast cancer
Some pregnant women were given the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) because it was thought to lower their chances of losing the baby. Recent studies have shown that these women (and their daughters who were exposed to DES while in the uterus), have a slightly increased risk of getting breast cancer. Use of alcohol is clearly linked to a slightly increased risk of getting breast cancer. Women who have 1 drink a day have a very small increased risk. Those who have 2 to 5 drinks daily have about 1½ times the risk of women who drink no alcohol. The American Cancer Society suggests limiting the amount you drink.Being overweight is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, especially for women after change of life and if the weight gain took place during adulthood. Also, the risk seems to be higher if the extra fat is in the waist area. Breast-feeding and pregnancy: Some studies have shown that breast-feeding slightly lowers breast cancer risk, especially if the breast-feeding lasts 1½ to 2 years. This could be because breast-feeding lowers a woman’s total number of menstrual periods, as does pregnancy. Women who began having periods early (before 12 years of age) or who went through the change of life (menopause) after the age of 55 have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer.
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
1.Lumps.
2.Rash.
3.Breast Pain.
4.Cysts.
5.Nipple Discharge.
6.Inverted Nipple.
Treatment of Breast Cancer
1.Hormonal therapy (with tamoxifen).
2.Chemotherapy.
3.Radiotherapy.
4.Surgery.

Studies Identify Gene That Causes Breast Cancer

2007-06-13T00:45:00.001-07:00

Recent medical studies by a team of medical scientists have made some great strides in finding the cause of breast cancer. In a thorough and extensive study of almost 5000 women, where approximately half of them already had breast cancer, this team has discovered what appears to be a common gene mutation that has about a 60% chance for an increased risk of breast cancer. This particular gene mutation was seen in about one out of every six women involved in the study.
The medical researchers state that this new discovery of the gene variant is the most important genetic risk factor associated with breast cancer found in the past 10 years. The gene is called fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2), and is important because of its widespread prevalence.
In the course of the study, the medical researchers were watching for changes in the genetic code of the gene. More specifically, they were watching for changes in single nucleotide polymorphisms, also known as SNP's) that are known to be associated in some way with breast cancer. The study discovered that women who had a faulty copy of FGFR2 had a 20% higher risk of breast cancer, and that women who had two faulty copies or altered versions had as much as a 60% likelihood of breast cancer. Additionally, the study found that one in six women who participated in the study were found to have two altered version of the gene variant.
This further affirms similar research that showed a very similar link between FGFR2 and breast cancer in women enrolled in the US Nurses Health Study group by an entirely different set of medical researchers.

Cathy Goodman Willed Cancer Out Of Her Body Using The Secret

2007-06-13T00:44:00.000-07:00

Cathy’s story is one that could be considered beyond uplifting or inspirational –it is an out-right miracle! If you log on to her spouses website (Morris E. Goodman) at themiracleman.org you will see that before she received the blessing of Healing in her own life –she herself was the spectacular miracle in Morris’ life after he recovered from a plane crash that left no hope for restoring his beaten and broken body from the paralysis and internal injuries that accident left him with. She and Morris were married on November 10th 1990 and little did they know at that time that Morris’ story of positive and forward thinking would some day be re-awakened and prove invaluable in Cathy’s life as well.
As told by Cathy she was diagnosed with breast cancer and her response was to go home and NOT think about the illness at all. She states in the movie The Secret that instead of concentrating on the cancer she put her attention elsewhere and that she truly believed in her heart with her strong faith that we had already been healed and that in her mind she saw herself as if cancer had never been in her body to begin with. She tells how she would walk around the house saying out loud “Thank you for my healing” over and over again. As she continues her story she explains to viewers that she and her husband would only watch funny movies because they believed that laughter would be an important part of her recovery and if she was laughing she wasn’t thinking about anything to do with the diagnosis.
In just 3 short months Cathy got the word that the cancer was gone. The miracle here is that Cathy had decided early on not to take the conventional route and so this healing took place without any radiation or chemotherapy whatsoever! By sheer mind power and force of will Cathy was able to put the cancer behind her. Because her husband was able to heal himself from the massive injuries that the doctors believed would take his life Cathy knew first hand the valuable instrument the mind itself can play on the body and its own ability to heal itself. Because she accepted it for truth -her thoughts were able to work in harmony with her immune system and rid the cancer from her body entirely.
Cathy and her husband Morris are great examples of the old adage “Mind over matter!” After all what else sustains our current sense of reality if it is not our mindset? Isn’t it in the mind that we control the power over our own circumstances? Can we be hurt by someone’s unkind words without first accepting in our mind to perceive the insult as “personal” if it isn’t taken as a personal blow to our character how can we accept it as an insult? Until we welcome something can it really be real? These are the kind of insightful ideas a movie like The Secret is meant to provoke. It gives value and merit to opening ones mind and looking outside the confines of our ordinary day to day approach as well as our normal take on the world.
All in all, if nothing else, we can begin to at least consider what an invaluable asset the mind can be. More importantly still, we can evaluate the benefits of learning how to live in harmony with our thoughts in order to live a happier, healthier existence. What (or who) would that hurt…I’d wager on it hurting no one –and if that alone resulted in a peaceful resolve –maybe eventually somewhere down the line we could look at getting along with everyone around us as an option to entertain in our minds as well! Now what could (or would) that thought mean to the entire planet in the end? Cathy herself probably has a lot to say on these issues –I’d be willing to bet on it!

Breast Cancer - Live to Tell the Tale

2007-05-29T05:12:00.003-07:00

No matter what type of cancer is involved after receiving a prognosis from your doctor, the fact is - cancer is cancer, a disease feared by millions of people. Regardless of modern medicine - fear will still prevail for those who have been diagnosed. However, times have changed in the way cancer is treated. With today`s modern technology and new found surgical developments etc, different cancers are successfully stabilized or even cured..
One of the most important issues in helping you your self and and medical staff to remedy the disease is, to catch whatever type of cancer it is - in its early stage. Chances of survival increase and better the odds in favour of the patient - due to early detection. Some women who have been diagnosed as to having breast cancer - somehow manage and find a way to cope. However: to be on the receiving end of a prognosis as such - can have a devastating affect on a woman, who unlike the minute few, may find it difficult to accept. Different types of cancers are curable.
For appropriate treatment to be carried out or medication administered, then determining what type of breast cancer is present in the patient is very important. Diagnosing breast cancer and its type will begin in the doctors' surgery, where your physician will send a tissue sample away (biopsy) to the lab for analysis. The result of the test will determine if you have breast cancer and what type. Self examination of the breasts should be a top priority listing in any female diary. Few women are aware - that most common types of breast cancer start off in - either of the breast's milk ducts (ductal carcinoma) or lobules (lobular carcinoma). The point of origin is resolved by the microscopic appearance of the cancer cells from a biopsy.
Medical pronunciation of different words relating to disease or illnesses can be hard at times to understand - so if you are in doubt at any time, then make sure to ask your doctor to explain. The better understanding you have on your medical condition - the easier it is for you to relate to what is going on around you.
One type of breast cancer is Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) which in medical terms is more notably known as a type of cancer which is where the earliest possible clinical diagnosis of breast cancer can be cited. Women who have contracted this type of cancer will have been diagnosed following a breast screening session (mammography) If ductal carcinoma in situ is left untreated, then figures show that about 30 percent of affected women can develop invasive breast cancer, this on average nearly always occurs ten years from the first initial diagnosis.
DCIS is recognized in the medical world as to being a pre-cancerous or early-stage growth of abnormal cells in the ducts of the breast. In the past, ductal carcinoma in situ was uncommon - so therefore not much thought was given to defining its optimal treatment. DCIS is curable and can be cured. Cancer is without doubt a life threatening condition (depending what type) but if the disease is caught early and treatment is given or surgery performed to prevent the cancer from spreading - then the threat of losing your life is put on hold. It is important to catch the disease as early as possible. If you notice any unusual sightings in or around the breast, like a lump or a change in shape or size following a self breast examination, then consult your doctor.
Do not worry at this stage because you may cause your self more upset over nothing. Ask your doctor for more information on mammography screening
Breast cancer is a disease that many women fall victim too because of stories they hear of fate and gloom. Because of this - some women choose to ignore all the warning signs, hence giving the cancer time to spread. Well believe it or not thousands of women live to tell the tale on how they beat their battle with cancer. Stories can and do have happy endings.

Pink Ribbon? No, Thank You

2007-05-29T05:12:00.001-07:00

Every year we are all inundated with request to buy a ribbon, to walk, to give your extra change to find "a cure" for breast cancer.
Sorry, but I can't. The reason is that most of these foundations don't do any sort of alternative medicine research. If you were to listen to the media, you would think that the only treatment that has any hope of being successful is traditional medical treatment. What about successful treatments by Rene Caisse in Canada in the 1930's?
What about treatments using megadoses of antioxidants?
Some people would say that some of these treatments are "unproven" or "not scientific". Well, let's do some research on the thousands of case studies that have shown these treatments to work.
We need to stop subsidizing drug companies' efforts for "research" and start to find real answers. Just think of all the billions of dollars wasted by looking in the wrong direction.
Did you know that more people earn their living From cancer than actually have the disease? That industry is not interested in a cure, they just want people to live a little longer by taking their drugs.
It's not that I am insensitive to people with cancer, I lost my father to cancer. I just think that if we truly wanted to find a cure, we would have done it in the 36 years since president Nixon declared "the war on cancer"

Internet-Based Grid Computing

2007-05-29T05:11:00.002-07:00

An open letter to members of D'Wild West (A The Site Fights Team) was sent in October 2000, which is below. After seven years the UD grid accomplished its goals and remains silent as of Friday April 27, 2007.
The research centered on proteins that were been determined to be a possible target for cancer therapy. Through a process called "virtual screening", special analysis software identified molecules that interacted with these proteins, and determined which of the molecular candidates had a high likelihood of being developed into a drug. The process is similar to finding the right key to open a special lock — by looking at millions upon millions of molecular keys.
Participants in the Cancer Research Project were sent a ligand library over the Internet. Their PC analyzed the molecules using a docking software called LigandFit by Accelrys. The LigandFit software analyzed the molecular data by using a three-dimensional model to attempt to interact with a protein binding site. When a ligand docked successfully with a protein, the resulting interaction was scored and the interactions that generated the highest scores were recorded and filed for further evaluation.
We need a better answer. Over five decades of cancer research effort in drug discovery and development have yielded more than 40 drugs for the treatment of cancers. These anti-cancer drugs are extending the lives of many people with cancer, but often at great cost. The side effects commonly associated with cancer therapy often may seem as bad as the disease itself. Side effects can be so severe that they limit the dosages patients can receive. And half of all cancer patients fail to respond to the therapies currently available.
Despite these shortcomings, these therapies are still quite costly — a considerable amount of money is spent on treating cancer. Treatment of cancers account for over 6% of all health care costs. The National Institutes of Health estimate cancer is responsible for $37 billion for direct medical costs, and $11 billion in lost productivity due to illness. The discovery of new drugs represents the best hope to fight both the rising medical costs and the suffering associated with current cancer therapies.
There could hardly be a scourge more worth fighting — the high mortality rate, the suffering experienced by patients, and the high costs of treatment make fighting this disease a research priority.
Even with extensive pre-screening, the whittled-down number of molecules to review for this project is estimated at over two hundred million for each protein — a daunting number. Analyzing this quantity of anything requires an enormous amount of computational power. And when the numbers are this big, even supercomputing is limited. A super computer has a peak capacity. That is, if a workload is three times the capacity of the computer, the jobs must be "queued up" and attacked consecutively. A project like this one might take so much time that a researcher wouldn't even embark on it — he or she wouldn't see the end result in their lifetime. However, with distributed computing, thousands or even millions of individual computers can each work on different molecules simultaneously, and the time to results can be significantly lessened.
Diana Campbell's Letter
I have had Stage IV Breast Cancer (metastases to the bones) since Sept. 2000, and was first diagnosed as Stage IIIB in January, 1992. The past decade has been a roller coaster ride and if you, a family member or friend has cancer, then you know what I'm talking about.
I began researching Stage IV Breast Cancer in the summer of 1999 when an X-ray during a checkup showed a suspicious sliver on a back rib. Many months later, this sliver was a huge tumor, but it had previously biopsied negative. I had a feeling something was not right so I began researching. I found there was not as much info on Stage IV as there was on Breast Cancer prevention and awareness as well as early stage, primary diagnosis and treatment.
So I created this website and the associated Survivor webring, email lists, research project and stores. My goal was to provide the information here that we all want to know at this Stage -- mostly associated with what we can do to prolong our lives. I am in the process of updating and adding but I hope this site will be of some help to you. Please join the UD grid too as this project will help speed cancer research and possibly help me and others too very shortly as we cope with stage IV breast cancer.
Diana Campbell
Diana passed away on February 19, 2003
Within a month of joining Diana's team in December 2000 I found that cancer had vested itself in my frailer human body too.
The initial team which Diana formed began to dwindle as cancer took its ugly toll. Wishing always remember my dear friend and make a contribution, my resources were transferred to the AS! team-CureNow. AS! is now exploring forming another team with broader appeal beyond the very small awards community and will be making a decision in the very near future. I will certainly join and a new team graphic with a link will be updated in this space.
To keep the memory of Diana alive there are now various Internet-based grid computing schemas available, thanks to the pioneering work of Oxford University and United Devices.
The World Community Grid software uses the idle time of Internet-connected computers and applies this computing power toward the advancement of humanity.
The agent works like a screen saver, only using a computer's resources when it would otherwise be idle and relinquishing the resources back to the users when they start using the computers again. The agent can also be run like an application, always running in the background unless specifically disabled/paused.
While many public computing grids such as SETI@home or Folding@home have been devoted to a single project, the World Community Grid offers multiple humanitarian projects under a single umbrella. Projects are approved by an advisory board, with members from most of the major research institutions and universities, as well as the UN and WHO.
Within the grid, users may join teams that have been created by organizations, groups, or individuals. Teams allow for a heightened sense of community identity and attempts to inspire competitiveness.
World Community Grid also differs from other grid projects by offering support for more than one grid infrastructure. The open source BOINC client is available for Linux, Windows, and Mac; the proprietary Grid MP from United Devices Inc. is only available for Windows.
History
The United Devices Smallpox Research Grid Project was sponsored by IBM and other Research Participants to accelerate the discovery of a smallpox cure. The Smallpox study employed computational chemistry on a massive distributed computing grid to analyze candidates for a medical therapy to fight the smallpox virus.
The project allowed scientists to screen 35 million potential drug molecules against several smallpox proteins to identify good candidates for developing into smallpox treatments. In the first 72 hours, 100,000 results were returned and 44 strong treatment candidates were identified at the completion of the project.
Based on the success of the Smallpox study, IBM announced on November 16, 2004 the creation of World Community Grid with the goal of creating a technical environment where other humanitarian research could be processed.
World Community Grid initially only supported Windows, using the proprietary grid technology from United Devices which powers grid.org projects. Strong demand for Linux support led to the open source BOINC grid technology which powers the Seti@home and Climateprediction (among others) being added. Mac OS X support is now also included.
As of March 24, 2007, the World Community Grid had nearly 272,000 members with over 550,000 registered work stations. It had a total process run time equivalent to about 82,000 years and about 80 million results have been sent. The World Community Grid updates these statistics several times a day, making the information available through a dedicated statistics page.

Surviving Breast Cancer - A Husband's View

2007-05-29T05:11:00.001-07:00

My wife has had breast cancer twice in the last 13 years and is a survivor, which I guess make me a survivor as well. I want to try and help those who are going through this ordeal with some guidance and suggestions.
First a little about us, we have been married since 1972 and are high school sweethearts. We have 4 great kids, all when we were younger and now 10 beautiful grand children. My wife is my soul mate and I am hers. Without her I am not sure what I would do or how I would survive. She is in every sense a survivor. She is a secretary and has worked a good part of her life, except some time off for child rising. I am retired military, a database administrator and trainer. Neither of us smoke or drink except the occasional social drink on New Years.
So as you can see we are fairly normal family now a day. Except for the fact that she had cancer the first time in her late 30s which is rare and again 2 years ago. Each time she has had a partial mastectomy and radiation treatments. This time was easier to handle then the first time.
What to expect
I am sure each of you reading this want to know what to expect. When will it get easier? When will both of you feel normal again. What is going to happen to her and you during the treatments? I will try to explain.
From the moment we found out about the cancer, things did change. We were both very scared and unsure what the future will hold. Would the radiation treatments work, would they be enough, what kind of scarring and disfigurement would there be. We had so many questions that we did not know what to ask or even who. The doctors were great; they put my wife at ease and did their best to prepare her for what was going to happen. Treatments went well. In the beginning she was still able to work till probably the 3rd week or so. Then she was tired most of the time. I still remember feeling so bad, here I was suppose to be protecting her, keeping her safe and I could not do anything to prevent this or even lessen the suffering. Some of the medications helped a little, but she was not herself. I picked up on doing some of the housework, watching the kids, cooking etc. But never felt like I did enough. For her part, she stayed home after the 3rd week or so rested as much as possible. But the treatments were everyday and each time she got more tired and sore. The soreness is like a bad sunburn but for weeks it does not go away.
I remember putting cream on her after the treatments to help ease the pain. After the radiation treatments it takes a few weeks before the sunburn disappears and a month or so before she was not as tired. It was several months before the swelling went down, maybe a year before we could tell how much different the breast size was going to be. My wife went from a D cup to a B cup after the first surgery. It is still early but the mastectomy was not as large as the first time.
What will happen?
The doctors will probably tell you what the treatment plan is. If you get a chance go with her to these appointments. Work can wait and they should understand. If you can afford it take family medical leave and stay home with her.
Radiation treatments are like a long x-ray. She will be placed in a mold to hold her body still and the x-ray will be targeted to the area of the cancer. This is what causes the burning. If they have to operate that is usually done first with about six week or so to heal before the treatments start. My wife was lucky in that she did not need chemical therapy. So I can not talk about those side effects. I understand they can be much worse. The x-rays kill the cancer cells but also damage the body and make it difficult for her to get much energy or fight off other illnesses. I remember the doctor telling us that she had to be careful because her immune system would be in shock for a while and it would be easier for her to pick up other illnesses that normally she would fight off easily. Treatments are straight forward and finite in period. Probably the easy part of the whole process. 10 weeks or so and it is all over with.
What you can do to ease the suffering
This is the hard part. Like I said before, I was supposed to protect her so now to try and redeem myself. Waiting on her hand a foot would have been nice, but I working the first time and could not take time off, someone had to bring in the money and like a lot of people we were a two income family down to one income.
Mood swings will be plenty. Just try to imagine a bad sunburn for 10 weeks without let up. The constant pain she was in I could see on her face. Treatments to moisten the skin helped and we made sure to make it our time when we could talk and let each other know what we were feeling. I know this is hard for men in general, but DO IT. She needs to know you understand, you care, and you do not hold it against her. At this point be a man and talk to her. She needs you, and as much as you may not want to admit it you need her. I think talking was the one thing that helped us through this whole ordeal. If either one of us had kept to ourselves we would not have made it through.
What you can do to ease your suffering
She has a lot on her at this point in time, just the cancer word is enough to scare the crap out of you, then surgery, treatments, recovery, financial stress, stress on the marriage, kids, family and friends all seem to fall on her shoulders. You need to take control and remove some of this stress on her, which puts more stress on you. But hey, you’re a man, you can handle it. And you’re not the one with cancer.
Each of us has our own way of releasing tension. For me it was sitting in a wooded area, having a good cry and talking to nature (God) although I am not an overly religious person, it helped. You need to find a support system. Family or friends need to understand you have a lot of stress on you as well. Find someone to take the shift with the wife so you can unwind in what ever helps you. Maybe a hard workout at the gym, going for a walk, watching a movie, going to the bar, what ever. Just make sure that she is taken care of for as long as it will take before you get back into the game. If you drink, do not take over until you are sober again. You need all of your strength to help her, not add more stress to her life at this time.
Wrapping it up
Well, I have rambled on long enough. Our life has been a lot stronger after the cancers than it ever was. We still talk to each other every night. We learned the signs of when something was wrong and initiated the conversations so that it does not brew under the surface. I am happy to say WE survived, as individuals and most importantly as a couple. There are many support groups available now a days. Find one in your area before you start treatments if possible and attend together. Listen to what others have to say, and build a friendship with them. They have gone through what you will be going through and can help in many ways. My God Bless you and your spouse and watch over both of you.
I love my wife. After 35 years I know of no other woman I would rather be with. The cancer has changed us. We are more loving, understanding and communicative then we were before. It has also changed our goals in life. We are now actively planning for early retirement. We have sold our home, purchased an RV and once the follow-ups are done in another year or so, we will take our life together on the road.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

2007-05-29T05:10:00.002-07:00

Cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control. Cancer can spread through the bloodstream and invade nearby tissues. It can spread into the lymphatic system into other parts of one’s body. There are numerous types of cancer. Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs is carcinoma. Leukemia is a form of cancer that begins in blood forming tissue such as bone marrow and will cause a large number of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood stream. Multiple myeloma and lymphoma cancers start in the cells of the immune system. Cancer that begins in the bone, cartilage, fat, blood vessels, or muscle is sarcoma. Each year in America, 211,000 women learn they have breast cancer. Other than skin cancer breast cancer is the most common type of cancer found in women is this country. Common symptoms of breast cancer include a change in how the breast or nipple feels and a change in how the breast or nipple looks.
If there are changes in how the nipple or breast feels, possibly a thickening or lump in or around the breast or underarm area, such a change can be a symptom of breast cancer. So can tenderness in the nipple.
Changes in how the nipple or breast looks may be the nipple turning inward into the breast. Another change could be a different shape or size of breast. Still other changes that might occur in the breast, nipple, or areola may be red, scaly or swollen skin. The skin may have ridges or pitting and look like the skin of an orange.
Still, another sign that there could be breast cancer is a nipple discharge. The nipple may discharge a fluid if there is breast cancer.
In early stages breast cancer usually does not cause pain. If a woman is having pain or other symptoms that do not go away she should see her health care provider. It is likely the symptoms are not due to breast cancer. Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. If a woman does have these symptoms she should tell her doctor. Any problems that might exist can be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

2007-05-29T05:10:00.001-07:00

Anything that may increase the chance of developing a disease is considered a risk factor. As research has indicated women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer.
The exact causes for breast cancer are not known. Often doctors cannot explain why one woman may develop breast cancer but another does not. What is known is that bruising, bumping or touching the breast does not cause cancer. Breast cancer is not contagious. It is not “caught” from others.
There have been studies that have revealed some of the risk factors for breast cancer. Among those risk factors are a woman’s age, a family or personal history of breast cancer, changes in her breast, changes in her genes and her menstrual history. Other risk factors for breast cancer include a woman’s race, if she has had radiation therapy to the chest, and her breast density. Still other factors for breast cancer include taking diethylstilbestrol (DES), her being overweight or obese after menopause, not being physically active, and her alcohol consumption.
Breast cancer is not common in women before menopause. As women age their chances for breast cancer development can increase. Breast cancer occurrence is greater for women over age 60.
The chance of a woman developing breast cancer is greater if her mother, sister or daughter has a history of the disease. If a family member developed breast cancer before the age of 40, the risk is even greater for a woman developing breast cancer. Other relatives having breast cancer, either on her maternal or paternal side of the family, can also place a woman at greater risk for developing breast cancer.
Having a personal history of breast cancer can also increase a woman’s risk. If a woman has had breast cancer in one breast the risk of getting breast cancer in the other breast increase.
Changes in a woman’s breast can place a woman at risk for breast cancer. Cells in a woman’s breast may look abnormal under a microscope. Abnormal cells such as atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ (or LCIS) increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer.
Changes in a woman’s genes including BRCA1, BRCA2, and others may increase the risk for breast cancer. Tests from family members who have been known to have breast cancer can reveal the presence of specific gene changes in family members. In order to improve the detection of this disease in women who have these changes in their genes health care providers may be able to suggest ways to try to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
A woman’s menstrual and reproductive history can place a woman at risk for breast cancer. Women having their first menstrual period before age 12 have a greater risk for developing breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer increase the older a woman is when she had her first child. A woman going through menopause after age 55 places her at greater risk for breast cancer. If a woman has never had children she is at a greater risk of breast cancer. Taking menopausal hormone therapy with estrogen plus progestin after menopause appears to increase risks for breast cancer. Studies have shown no link between miscarriage or abortion and risks for breast cancer.
Race is another risk factor for breast cancer. Caucasian women more often than Latina, African or Asian American women are diagnosed with breast cancer.
Radiation therapy performed to the chest, including the breast, before a woman is age 30 is another known risk factor for breast cancer. Studies indicate the younger the age of a woman when she received radiation treatment the higher the risk for breast cancer in later life.
A woman’s breast tissue is either fatty or dense. Placing them at a higher risk of breast cancer are older women whose mammograms, or breast x-rays, reveal more dense tissue.
Diethylstilbestrol, also known as DES, was given to some pregnant women in the United States during the 1940’s until 1971. This is no longer given to pregnant women. Taking DES during pregnancy may slightly increase the risk for breast cancer. The possible effects on the daughters of women who were given DES while pregnant are still being studied.
A woman being overweight or obese after menopause can increase a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer. Studies have indicated that after menopause the risk increases for women who are overweight.
A physically inactive lifestyle may contribute to risks for breast cancer. If a woman is active it can prevent weight gain and obesity and therefore reduce chances for breast cancer.
Drinking alcohol increases risks for breast cancer. Studies indicate the more alcohol a woman drinks her risk for breast cancer increase.
Researchers are currently studying other possible risk factors for breast cancer. Currently being studied are the effect of diet, genetics, physical activity, and certain environmental substances increasing the risks for breast cancer.
Avoiding known risk factors for breast cancer can help women protect themselves against breast cancer. Risk factors for breast cancer such as family history cannot be avoided. These should be discussed with her doctor.
Most women who have known risk factors do not get breast cancer. Many women with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. Most women with breast cancer have no clear sign for risk factors other than growing older.
If a woman thinks she is at risk for breast cancer she should discuss her concern with her doctor. Her doctor may be able to suggest ways she can reduce her risk. At risk or not, a woman should plan scheduled checkups with her health care provider. Prevention is the best cure.