Breast Cancer Facts Women Must Know

November 30th, 2011

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A married woman who lives across the street was diagnosed with breast cancer early on. It was removed and she is currently as healthy as a babe.

On the other hand, a former associate succumbed to the disease after a very long, painful and costly struggle.

I am sure we all have our separate stories to tell about it, either close to home or among friends and acquaintances. In every case, we lump it into one generic disease – breast cancer.

But since it is so common, common enough perhaps to become personal, it is worthwhile to know more about this disease that regularly claims the lives of more than 40,000 women each year in the U.S. alone.

Breast cancer types:

There are basically seven types of breast cancer. Some of these are:

1.   Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ (DCIS):

This is the early type of breast cancer. It is confined in the inside of the ductal system of the mammary gland.

2.   I nfiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IDC):

This is the most common type of breast cancer, accounting for roughly 80% of the total cases. They appear as star-like or rounded lesions in mammograms. The star-like lesions, generally, have very poor prognosis.

3.   Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC):

This is called inflammatory because they make the breast look swollen and red. Though very rare, about 1 to 5% of the total cases, it is very aggressive.

How serious is it?

-    Among women, regardless of race and ethnicity, breast cancer is second to skin cancer in prevalence;

- Among women between 20 – 59 yrs old, it is the second cause of death; overall, it is the seventh;

-    In the U.S., a new breast cancer case occurs every three minutes and a woman dies from the disease every 13 mins;

-    The American Cancer Society estimated 192,370 new cases of breast cancer in 2009.

Hedging against breast cancer:

Generally, breast cancer is curable with the current advances in technology and treatment.

My neighbor is an example. Aside from being a regular church – goer and a natural sunny disposition, her complete cure could have been due to any, or all, of the following:

-     It was detected early;

-    She had one of the less  aggressive types of breast cancer like “infiltrating lobular carcinoma” which respond well to therapy;

-    Her genes were on her favor;

-    She responded well to medication and reinforced by her lifestyle.

The key to breast cancer survival is early detection. Nobody knows your body more than you do. Listen to it. If there’s anything out of sync, don’t guess. See a physician.

Your risk goes a little higher if you have a family history of the disease. Otherwise, hedge yourself against it by keeping a healthy body mass index (BMI), exercise regularly, minimize your alcohol intake and have a healthy diet.

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Things Women should Not Ignore

May 17th, 2011

Last Saturday I attended a mass for a classmate who passed away a week earlier. She died of ruptured cervical tumor. What made it so tragic is that she was a nurse and should know what is going in inside her, but she ignored it.

Physiologically speaking, women should more visits to a doctor. Whereas some of them do, a lot of them fail to take notice, or ignore, some of the things going on inside that could have dire health consequences.

The following are things women should take seriously:

Unexplained weight loss:

A weight loss of 10 pounds in a one-month period should be a reason to consult a doctor if she is not on a vigorous weight loss exercise regimen, not having a crash diet, not taking drugs such as amphetamines or cocaine, no fill-fitting dentures, not grief-stricken or on a depression.

Losing weight that much could be due to cancer or other disorders such as hyperthyroidism, liver disease or malabsorption problems wherein the body cannot absorb the nutrients from food properly.

Abdominal bloating:

This is a condition in which the abdomen feels full and tight. Because it is common among women, it can easily be overlooked. Excessive bloating can be a symptom for ovarian cancer and if it extends for long periods of time a visit to the doctor is recommended, especially if it comes with the following:

-   Abdominal pain;

-   Blood in the stool;

-   Diarrhea;

-   Heartburn that is getting worse;

-   Vomiting;

-   Weight loss.

Breast rashes:

These are redness and irritation of the skin on the breasts. It can be itchy, scaly, painful or blistered. Rarely do rashes lead to something more serious. But it is still worthwhile to see a doctor if rashes appear on breasts. Other than lumps, rashes can also be signs of inflammatory breast cancer.

Blood in urine:

This, too, is a common problem among women. It is called hermaturia. Again, this cannot be ignored. It could be signs of serious problems in the urinary tract or symptoms of colon, bladder or kidney cancer. One must get a thorough medical check-up to be on the safe side of one’s health.

Oral health problems:

Medical practitioners are one in saying that oral health can offer clues about a person’s overall health, with good reason. Our mouth is teeming with bacteria. Though some of them are harmless, others can cause tooth decay or gum disease. Or they can cause irritation leading to leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a precancerous lesion which could develop on the tongue and the insides of the cheeks due to rough teeth or sharp denture edges, fillings or crowns. And they can lead to oral cancer.

Two weeks prior to her death, we had a very good laugh during our school reunion. We even agreed to have a smaller one towards the end of the year. If that happens, that will be a reunion she wouldn’t be attending. And all because she ignored what was going on inside her.

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Sexual Health Issues in Women

April 17th, 2011

Long considered a taboo subject, sexual health issues for women are now openly discussed and portrayed in all available mass media. Like that of men, women’s sexual health issues cover a broad range of subjects that encompass the entire womanhood. Some of these are common with men, but a woman’s physiological difference with that of man gives rise to subjects typical for women. These are:

Gynecological concerns:

These deal with the health of the entire female reproductive system, i.e., uterus, vagina and ovaries. The health of a woman’s reproductive system is of utmost importance to her overall health and well-being that  it is recommended that she sees a gynecologist at least once a year for a pap test and breast exam to spot early symptoms that involve her gynecological and sexual health.

Painful intercourse:

Some women experience pain or discomfort during vaginal penetration. This pain could be occasional for some, while others have it in every sexual penetration. Some of these pain episodes can be treated with lubricants while others need medical treatment. At any rate, if pain is experienced during sexual intercourse, occasional or constant, medical help should be sought to avoid potential physical or emotional harm.

Menstruation and breast health:

Monthly menstrual cycle and the heath of their breasts are two significant sexual health concerns for women. Common problems related to this monthly build-up of the uterine lining are irregular periods, absent periods and painful periods. All these can affect a woman’s general and reproductive health.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer type among women worldwide. Sadly, many of them do not or are not very particular in doing monthly breast self exams. Being diagnosed with breast cancer can have a life-changing effect on a woman’s sexuality.

Menopause:

The time in a woman’s life when her menstrual cycles stop and her reproductive capacity comes to an end. Menopause usually comes in late middle-age, earlier or, in rare cases, later. I met a woman at 50 who claims to have her periods. But it does not mean the end of a woman’s sex life. A recent survey showed among the 60-64 age range showed that 87% of married men and 89/5 of married women are still sexually active.

Pregnancy and child birth:

Pregnant women can experience varying sexual desire during pregnancy as well as after delivery. This can be confusing to a couple, and unless both are aware of this, sexual relationships can be affected.

Delivery of a baby has its own issues, too. Recovery from normal delivery, the impact of breast-feeding, vaginal dryness due to reduced estrogen levels, post-partum depression can have a severe impact on sexual relationships unless good communications exist between couples.

Taking a part from the World Health Organization’s definition, “Sexual health requires a positive, respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having a pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence.”

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Eat Away Your Cancer

January 11th, 2011

Health and fitness hazards:

Health and fitness are generally determined by three factors: genetics, environment and habit. There’s nothing much we can do when our health and fitness go haywire due to genetics; we can only do so much as far as the environment is concerned, but our habits, eating habits and lifestyle, are all within our control.

In my post “Common Illnesses among the Elderly,” cancer stands out as the most common among people approaching middle age and the elderly. Without doubt, the above factors play a hand in all these cases. And since there’s not much we can do about genetics and the environment in hedging against cancer development, this post intends to entice people to focus their attention on their eating habits to minimize or avoid that dreaded disease.

They are all in the refrigerator:

According to Richard Béliveau, PhD, in his “Foods to Fight Cancer,” All the studies on cancer and nutrition point to eating plant-based foods for their phytonutrients and other special compounds.” And these are all in your fridge. These are:

1.   Broccoli:

Though of the same family as these cancer-fighting vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage and kale, broccoli has more sulforaphane, a potent compound that boosts the body’s protective enzymes and flushes out cancer-causing chemicals.

It has been found to be effective against cancers in the breast, liver, lung, prostate, skin, stomach and gall bladder.

2.   Berries:

Packed with cancer-fighting phytonutrients, berries are good in fighting off cancers in the colon, esophagus, mouth and skin. Black raspberries, particularly, have high anthocyanins, a phytochemical that slows down the growth of premalignant cells and keep new blood vessels from forming and feeding cancerous tumors.

3.   Tomatoes:

My favorite, tomatoes contain high levels of lycopene, a carotenoid that give it its red color. Lycopene has also been found to stop cancel cell growth in the endometrium (lining of the uterus). It is also good against cancers in the lung, prostate and stomach.

I always take slices of fresh tomatoes every meal.

4.   Walnuts:

They contain phytosterols, a cholesterol-like molecule found in plants, found to be good at blocking estrogen (a steroid compound and primary female sex hormone) receptors in breast cancer cells, possibly slowing the cells’ growth. Walnuts are good in the fight against breast and prostate cancers.

5.   Garlic:

Though I am not crazy about it, but I can’t escape garlic because it is a staple spice in Oriental food. Its phytochemicals are known to stop the formation of nitrosamines, a carcinogen formed in the stomach when you consume nitrates, which are common in food preservatives. The Iowa Women’s Health Study found that women with the highest amount of garlic in their diet had 50 percent lower risk of colon cancer. It is also good to fight off the formation of breast, colon, esophageal and stomach cancers.

6.   Beans:

A diet of black and navy beans, particularly, increases the levels of fatty acid butyrate, which are good against cancer cell growth. Good for warding of breast and colon cancers.

Health and fitness basics:

While it is great to look good from following expensive diet programs and health club memberships, but health and fitness starts not from these modern devices of man but from getting it right in the foods that we eat and the lifestyles that we lead.

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Breast Cancer Tidbits (Part 1)

June 27th, 2008

“Breast Cancer Tidbits”

Women who have breast cancer within 2 years of their last pregnancy, or 2 to 4 years after delivery, are more likely to have a poor prognosis, study results show. (Obstetrics & Gynecology May 2008;111:1167-1173)

* * * * * * * * *

Five per cent of breast cancer tumors appear to double in size in just over a month, researchers said yesterday.

The study, in the journal Breast Cancer Research, also suggested detection rates of just 26% for a 5mm tumor and 91% for a 10mm tumor. The computer data was from nearly 400,000 women aged 50 to 69. The faster growth was mainly among younger women in the study’s age group. (Daily Telegraph, 9/5/08, p25; Adelaide Advertiser, 9/5/08, p37)

* * * * * * * * *

A University of Washington study claims that fetal cells surviving in a mother’s tissues may fight off breast tumors, perhaps explaining why women with children have a lower risk of getting breast cancer than childless women. Researcher V.K. Gadi presented the findings of the controlled study in San Diego last month. (New Scientist, 8/5/08, p10.)

* * * * * * * * *

Adult women who were breast-fed as infants may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who were not breast-fed, unless they were first-born, study findings suggest. “As a general group, women who reported they had been breast-fed in infancy had a 17 percent decrease in breast cancer risk,” Hazel B. Nichols, who was involved in the study, told Reuters Health. (Epidemiology, May 2008)

* * * * * * * * *

A meta-analysis of studies of taxanes alone or in combination with anthracyclines as first-line therapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer shows that neither approach provides a survival advantage. (J Clin Oncol, Reuters Health May 9, 2008;26:1980-1986.)

* * * * * * * * *

Pre-menopausal women who spend much of their leisure time in physical activities, especially in adolescence and early adulthood, are less likely to develop breast cancer than their more sedentary counterparts, according to a report in the Journal of the
National Cancer Institute for May 21. (Reuters Health, May 13, 2008)

* * * * * * * * *

Women who have a sister diagnosed with breast cancer remain at increased risk of breast cancer throughout their lives, epidemiologists in Sweden report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute for May 21,2008;100:721-727.
(Reuters Health, May 13, 2008)

* * * * * * * * *

Adding screening ultrasonography to conventional breast mammography increases the diagnostic yield by about 50% among women at high risk for breast cancer, according to study findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association for May 14. However, the combined strategy also substantially increases the number of false positives. (JAMA 2008;299:2151-2163,2203-2205).

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