Cervical Cancer 101 What You Need To Know About

Cervical Cancer affects the female body in the cervix region. The womb of a woman finds its opening through the cervix. Many a times the human papilloma virus causes the disease. It is transmitted sexual exchanges. The cervix being the most important organ of the reproductive system requires proper attention as far as cancer onset is concerned. Such a cancer affects the other organs of the cervix region and can cause damage to the reproductive organs. This makes the disease all the more fatal. Such a spread is commonly termed as metastasis.

Although human papilloma virus is the main cause of the disease but it is also diagnosed with women who are in a habit of smoking. The instances of lung and breast cancer associated with the cervical cancer are there. This shows that the susceptibility of women to have cancer is higher by the means of cervical cancer. The disease is indicated by the presences of warts on the area around cervix. But a regular medical check up is required because sometimes the warts may not even appear on the skin and the disease goes undetected.

The common symptoms of the disease are prolonged pains in the thoracic region. Sometimes the leg and the lower back start paining unbearably. Anemia is very frequently associated with cervical cancer. As a result of anemia the patient also experiences a weight loss and fatigue. The person also looses his normal appetite. The detection of this carcinoma by oneself is almost impossible. It is at the later stages only that, with the help of a doctor can one detect it.

The disease is very deadly as its detection is very difficult. Though the doctors can detect it by a simple pap smear but if the treatment is avoided for too long then it may cause a fatal results. The most important thing to note here is that the disease can spread to other parts of the body including the vagina and the other connective tissue. It spreads vigorously and the infection spreads very fast. The disease has the potential to damage the primary reproductive organs and jeopardize reproductive capacity of the woman.

A particular form of papilloma strain increases the vulnerability to disease. Also improper sexual behaviour and inadequate hygiene also caters to the onset of cervical cancer. A drug administered to prevent miscarriage (diethylstilbestrol), if given in great quantities also increases the susceptibility of the disease. The diagnosis of the disease is done by examining the vaginal fluid of the suspected patient and is checked for the strains of cancer.

Chemo-radiation is a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is an effective measure in treatment of cancer. The infected cells can also be surgically removed. But the woman has to make a tough decision regarding jeopardizing her fertility. Thus most women go for the usual medication. A simple approach to prevent the disease is to have clean habits and regular check ups. The disease can be prevented by such steps though it cannot be ruled out after these.

A healthy woman is the most important asset of a family and there fore a woman should keep her self clean and ready to prevent such disease.

By: → Mansi Aggarwal

The Top 5 Ways to Reduce Cancer Risk

Do you know someone with cancer? Perhaps you are suffering from cancer? There is no doubt that it is a very terrifying situation to be faced with. Billions of dollars have been spent on researcher on looking for a cure, yet none has been discovered yet.

The good news is that certain types of cancer can be prevented by following some common-sense tips and making some lifestyle changes. This has been shown in population studies, research done by comparing very large group of people living in different parts of the world.

This article will provide details on five things you can do to dramatically cut down your risk of cancer.

#1 - What You Eat Matters

Scientists don't want to make a strong statement that what you choose to eat could affect your risk of cancer. But your mom was right all along. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown in studies to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. These foods are very rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and potent anti-oxidants that can slow down and eliminate cancerous cells.

Citrus fruits such as lemon and oranges contain bioflavonoids and limonoids that have been shown in lab and animal studies to cause cancerous cells to die in 48 hours.

As well, experts do recommend that you reduce the amount of meat that you consume. Also throw in whole grain foods as well. And don't forget the healing properties of green tea. Some studies have shown that drinking three cups of green tea cuts down the risk of breast cancer. The reason? Green tea contains potent anti-oxidants that deactivate harmful oxygen free radicals. Also, green tea contains many other active substances that seem to promote health and well-being.

Avoid dehydration by drinking 8 glasses of water daily. It may help to lower your cancer risk by allowing your own body the ability to flush away toxic substances.

#2 - Exercise and Physical Activity

Some studies show that being overweight increases your chance of developing many types of cancer. Exercise is not fun for most people, so start by choosing mild and somewhat easy exercises. For example, if you have never exercised before, don't bother going to the gym as the first step. Start by taking 15 to 30 minutes brisk walk around your neighbourhood. Do this three times weekly.

To ensure that you continue with your exercise program, schedule it in! Just like going to work, you don't find time to go to work. By scheduling a small block of time for a quick 15 to 30 minutes walk, you are more likely to continue on.

There is good evidence to show that highly successful and effective people exercise regularly.

#3 - Avoid Toxins

In two words, don't smoke. Also don't expose yourself to second hand smoke. Studies show that it is just as harmful. When tobacco is burnt, it produces thousands of toxic chemicals, many of which are proven to cause cancer. And it's not just lung cancer. Smoking is linked to cervical, kidney and bladder cancer.

Studies have shown that a glass of wine is good for you but too much alcohol is linked to various types of cancer. Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to colon, liver, esophagus and throat cancer.

For females with a family history of breast cancer, alcohol consumption seems to further increase the risk. Experts suggest this group of female to refrain from drinking alcohol.

#4 - Cut Down on Sun Exposure

Skin cancer risk can be greatly reduced by avoiding excessive sun exposure. The golden tanned look can be attractive but there is a price to pay. Not only is it going to increase skin cancer risk, it also ages the skin quickly. At a later time, your skin becomes wrinkled permanently.

Avoid tanning beds and always put on a sunscreen before going out on a sunny day.

Why not get two benefits from staying away from the sun? Benefit from a lowered skin cancer risk and a healthier younger looking skin.

#5 - Natural Remedies, Vitamins and Herbal Supplements

Many vitamins, minerals and herbal remedies are used around the world to prevent cancer. For example, vitamin D seems to reduce the risk of all types of cancer. As for prostate cancer, some studies show that selenium can cut the risk down.

Supplements are an excellent choice since many of them are very low cost. Moreover, many of the recommended vitamins and minerals are already found in your daily multivitamin that you take.

Start today. Take the necessary first step in preventing cancer. This you can control and you will benefit from this smart move for a lifetime.

By: → Tom Chua

Diagnosis Of Cancer And How You Can Control Your Emotions.

Emotional issues

For everybody it is a shocking time, if you receive the information from your doctor. Its very important, to bring your strong emotions under control. There are so many different aspect of living with cancer - from the pure medical issues, to emotional aspects, to the impact on the family as well as daily living considerations.

Are you sitting down? Accept that getting a cancer diagnosis is a shock to the system and people often go through the normal stages of grieving - from denial, bargaining, anger and depression and finally acceptance. How you deal with this depends much on the type of person you are and how they have dealt with similar issues in your life.

Don't go it alone. There are people who are professional counselors specifically trained to deal with people who have cancer. Sometimes it may be difficult to speak about your real feelings to family or friends, because they are also emotionally involved. A counselor is there for you and will help you come to terms with the things that you may be struggling with in a caring but neutral environment.

Join a support group. These are invaluable. Support groups go a long way towards helping people deal with the psychological aspects of living with cancer. Sharing experiences with people who are also experiencing firsthand what you are going through, goes a long way towards making things easier to live with. Here you can freely speak your mind without fearing that what you say might affect your relationships at home or with friends.

Deal with depression. Accept that there will be times when you feel lonely, depressed and sad. If you never feel this way, you are probably not facing up to the situation. Don't feel guilty when you feel depressed - it is a normal reaction in the situation. Learn to recognize the signs of depression - early awakening, excessive sleeping, a change in eating habits, and a lack of interest in things that formerly interested you, a feeling of continuous fatigue - and take action when they continue for longer than two weeks.

Decisions, decisions. It is possible those practical things may change for a while and that the person with cancer may need extra assistance and care. Discuss the options and deal with practical issues such as transport to and from medical appointments, possible home nursing if necessary, what to tell friends and family, medical costs, leave from work, the division of the household tasks for the time the family member with cancer may not be able to perform his/her share of the housework. There is no point at all in avoiding these topics as they are much easier to discuss beforehand than when they arise.

Family matters

Families will react in very different ways. In crises families tend to behave the way they always do, just more pronouncedly so. If a family is into avoidance, this is how this situation will be dealt with. Or if they are generally supportive, that will be the main trait of how they deal with a cancer diagnosis in one of the members of the family. Family counseling might ease the situation for everyone.

Decisions, decisions. It is possible those practical things may change for a while and that the person with cancer may need extra assistance and care. Discuss the options and deal with practical issues such as transport to and from medical appointments, possible home nursing if necessary, what to tell friends and family, medical costs, leave from work, the division of the household tasks for the time the family member with cancer may not be able to perform his/her share of the housework. There is no point at all in avoiding these topics as they are much easier to discuss beforehand than when they arise.

By: → Fritz Frei

Cancer Treatment, Limiting Factor In Rising Survival

Trenton Martkes

The average length of life now is somewhere around 75 years right? Which is crazy when you consider the dramatic increase that this number represents in the amount of knowledge and technology that medicine has experienced in the last 30 years. The problem is that we get people to live longer and we find out the next major factor that is limiting the length of our life. At this moment that limiting factor is cancer and our lack of definitive cancer treatment.

It isn't that we don't understand cancer very well--because we do. We know that it goes back to errors that occur in our DNA in one cell most of the time that enable that cell to break out of the normal and healthy limitations of growth and connectivity to other cells. This rogue cell than goes and reeks havoc by invading areas critical to life and destroying them by disrupting the form and therefore the function of whatever organ they have invaded. It also isn't that we don't have any knowledge of cancer treatment -- because we do. We have drugs that will go in and (as selectively as possible) take out the cells that can't otherwise be controlled. We also use physics to our best ability with radiological oncology and gamma knife surgeries. We now can find cancer much sooner and treat it more definitively.

The problem is that cancer is bigger than we can handle right now and is able to evade human's abilities to control it. We can't cure the most aggressive forms, we can't detect the most subtle cases, and our cancer treatment is much much too crude. The treatments are necessarily toxic to the cancer but we haven't gotten good at making it selective so that the body doesn't take a serious hit. Maybe the largest part of cancer treatment that we fail on is prevention.

We as American’s and as humans more generally have a lot of bad habits and have set up our world to rely on too many things that are extremely hazardous to the environment and to our health. We smoke too much while knowing full well that it is assaulting our lungs, we eat too much fat knowing that it gives us cancer of the colon and the breast, we work and live in air that we have made toxic to breathe, etc. Yes we are really our own limiting factor, not cancer, not our lack of good cancer treatment. I wonder if we will ever wake up and stop blaming doctors for not being good enough and start to take responsibility for our actions.

Submitted By: → Trenton Martkes

Effect of Cancer with Hair Loss

Chemotherapy hair loss is an unfortunate reality that many cancer patients have to face. Chemotherapy hair loss is not caused by all chemotherapy drugs, but it is a common after effect.

Chemotherapy hair loss may include scalp, facial, axillary, pubic and body hair. Varying from slight thinning to complete loss of hair, chemotherapy hair loss occurs over a period of days or weeks. After completion of therapy, regrowth usually occurs in six to eight weeks.

Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy, but not all drugs cause hair loss. Talk to your healthcare team about what to expect. In most cases, your hair loss will be temporary.

If you start to lose your hair, you may find that it becomes thinner or falls out entirely. It may be sudden or gradual. Hair loss can occur on all parts of the body – you may lose the hair on your head, some or all of your eyelashes and eyebrows, and body hair (including pubic, chest and underarm hair). You may also notice that your scalp feels tender.

Many people find that their hair starts to grow back before their chemotherapy treatment is finished or very soon afterwards. Some people find that their new hair is slightly different in colour or texture.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America understands that chemotherapy hair loss, and changes in skin and body can be devastating after effects of cancer treatment. CTCA's Cosmetic Image Enhancement program helps women and men prepare for radiation therapy and chemotherapy hair loss. Image Enhancement program classes and seminars for you and your loved ones are designed by community members, beauticians, cosmetologists and salon personnel. These classes are designed to help you plan ahead for chemotherapy hair loss.

Be gentle with your hair. Use a mild shampoo, a soft hairbrush and set your hair dryer on low heat or let your hair dry naturally.

Get a shorter cut if you have long or medium-length hair. This will make your hair look fuller and thicker. It might help to make any hair loss less dramatic for you.

Avoid dyeing, perming or straightening your hair during treatment. Talk to your healthcare team to find out when you can begin these activities again.

Try wearing a scarf, turban or hat if you feel sensitive about your loss of hair. This will help keep your head warm as well.

Consider buying a wig or toupée. You may want to select it before your hair falls out so that it will be easier to match to your own hair colour and style.

Protect your scalp when you are outside. A wide-brimmed hat or scarf can help. Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 with good UVA protection on your scalp when you are outside.


By: → Jerry H. Hall