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The sadness greatly suppresses the immune system, because it releases in the body substances which are similar to morphine: endorphins and encephalons, which are designed to help the body to pass the emotional stresses. When we suffer, our minds makes the neurotransmitters go out acting on breathing, heart and on the digestion.

That is why when we go through a heavy suffering we also feel physically sick and we lose weight. Even if we have in our body enough white cells to fight for us, in the periods of suffering, body is exposed and vulnerable, and the tumor cells profit of this and they increase fast. Sometimes it takes only two or three months until cancer reaches metastasis. Not to mention that long term stress, especially in women, produces an imbalance in the pituitary level, which is the queen of all glands, where the hormones (estrogen, progesterone) are and it generates an excessive estrogen secretion, which feeds any tumor cells.

So we must to be optimistic and never lose hope, to fight against any disease with the thought of a succeed. I selected some quotes of the people who have won in the battle with cancer with hope, optimism, love and with the power of God. “A fight is life; so you fight/Loving it, missing it./Will leave those who want to fight,/And cowardly ones complain and die…”

“Honey, I pray for you to have growth in everything and go well with your health as you go well with your soul”.
“Today I am convinced that nobody loses anybody, because nobody owns anybody. This is true experience of freedom: to have the most important thing in the world, without possessing”.

“The one who does not believe that the healing is coming from the inside, he will be not healed by anyone”.
“Health is not appreciated only when the disease appears”.
“Health resembles the peace.  You can enjoy it only if you know to defend it”.

“The breast cancer diagnosis is one of the worst things that could happen to a woman, but with hope and with the love of God and of my family, I healed. This power it can move even the mountains from their place, you just have to believe it and fight for it”.
“Health is not everything, but everything without health is nothing”.

“There is nothing else like a woman when she wants to see her kids growing up. I fought for this with all my hope and with everything I could, because I could only imagine a future beside my family and could not imagine death”.
“The desire to be healed is the beginning of the healing”.
“Not because of the difficult things we don’t have courage, but because we do not have courage, things are difficult”.
“If we could realize how powerful our thoughts are we will never have bad thoughts again”.

It is true that the push-up bra can cause breast cancer? What about the glass of wine that you just ordered? The hormonal treatment maybe? And after all, how could you know before it is too late?
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With all the rumors and controversies that are surrounding the breast cancer – what it provokes, as diagnosis and how you treat it – we do not know anymore what to do or what to think. One thing is certain: the ability to separate truth from fiction could make the difference between life and death.

Myth 1: A risk factor of breast cancer does not mean that you will develop the disease.

No risk factor alone or in combination with others does not mean that you will definitely develop breast cancer. Certainly, if there are present many factors, the risk is higher but despite this predisposition, it is possible that you will never develop this form of cancer.

Myth 2: If there is no history of breast cancer in your family, there is no risk.

A woman presents a risk and even some men. For any woman, an inherited abnormality is the strongest risk factor, but only 10% of the breast cancer cases are due to heredity. Approximately 85% of the patients with breast cancer have no family history, so it’s important for all women to be regularly examined.

Now it is known that breast cancer genes can be transmitted also from the father, so it would be better to ask your relatives from both sides of the family, if there is any history for this disease. If there exists in the family a man who had breast cancer, tell the doctor.

Myth 4: Regardless of the risk factor, you don’t have reasons to worry until menopause.

The chances to develop this disease, increases once with age but breast cancer can occur at any age. Therefore, all women must be vigilant.

Myth 5: Wearing a bra or the use of antiperspirants and deodorants increases the risk to develop breast cancer.

These are only rumors. There is no evidence that bras, antiperspirants or deodorants could cause cancer, by limiting the lymphatic circulation or not leaving the skin to sweat.

Myth 6: If you have small breasts, have less chance to develop breast cancer.

Size does not matter!

Any woman who has breasts can develop cancer.

Myth 7: The hormone treatment – even on a short period – causes breast cancer.

Many women become concerned when in a study were found that combining the estrogen with progesterone increases slightly the risk of an invasive breast cancer. Another study showed that the combined treatment increases the risk of developing cancer, however, all this had offer also a reason for silence: the risk seems to return to normality at 6 months after the women stopped the hormone therapy. This happens to the women who have used this treatment only for few months and also for those who have used it for more than 5 years.

Most studies who had as a sample the women from United States, did not find a strong connection between fat consumption and the risk of breast cancer.

Myth 9: Mammograms can prevent cancer risk.

Although the mammograms can detect breast cancer, they can’t prevent it.

Myth 10: Some studies prove that mammograms have no value.

Studies contradict other studies. It’s better to search the radiological centers who are dealing with most of the cases of breast cancer

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What is breast cancer? - The breast cancer is a malignant tumor that forms in the breast tissue, usually the cells of ducts and lobes (the glands that secrete milk). This disease can occur in men and women but it is most common in women; it is currently the most dreaded disease because in the whole world, one woman dies at every 15 minutes by this disease.

Fortunately, the information about the breast cancer extended. We can this way to identify a number of factors which are favoring the disease, we have several available methods for establishing diagnosis and, last but not least, we have various treatment options. All that, increase the chances of a cure for breast cancer.

It seems that 2006 has brought to the international stars, beside the success on the stage also wins in the battle with breast cancer. Kyle Minogue, Anastacia and Sheryl Crow have learned on their hand that this disease knows no celebrity, because they were diagnosed with breast cancer. They finally defeated breast cancer but unfortunately, many other famous people failed to this.

These are only few cases with a happy ending but I will present you a really short list bellow with famous people who actually died of  breast cancer.
Josephine Abady - American theatre director and producer (died at 52 years old)
Kathy Acker - American author (50).
Margery Allingham - British mystery writer (62).
Generosa Ammon – the widow of the multimillionaire Ted Ammon (47).
Luana Anders - American film actress (58).

V. C. Andrews - American horror fiction writer (62).
Anne of Austria - mother of King Louis XIV of France and Philippe I, Duke of Orleans, wife of King Louis XIII of France (66).
Mary Astell - English philosopher and feminist writer (65).
Jeanne Bal - American television actress (67).
Judi Bar - American environmentalist and labor leader (47).
Lisa Barnet - American science fiction writer and editor
Jeanne Bates - American film actress (89).
Sally Belfrage - American author and journalist (57).
Ingrid Bergman - Oscar-winning star Swedish actress (67).
Bibi Besch - American actress (56).
Colette Besson - French athlete (59).
Rose Elizabeth Bird - first female Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court (63).
Brandi Borr - American stand-up comedian (39).
Vanessa Brown - American actress (78).
Phyliss Carr - American singer (The Quin-Tones) (60)
Rachel Carson - American environmentalist and author (Silent Spring) (56).
Norma Crane - American actress (44).

Linda Creed - American songwriter (37).
Charlotte Saunders Cushman - American stage actress (59).
Julia Darling - award-winning British writer (48).
Bette Davis - American Oscar-winning star actress (81).
Jo Ann Davis - U.S. Representative from the State of Virginia (57)
Belinda Emmett - Australian actress (32). Rest in peace….

When? The self-examination of the breasts must be made once with the advent of the first menstruation of the life of a young woman. The doctors are drawing our attention to: The structure of the mammary gland varies both with age and the menstrual cycle. That is why it is so important that this regularly (monthly) self-examination of the breasts to be made at the fifth day from the menstruation debut, when the volume of the mammary glands is minimal and facilitates the detection of a suspect node.

The self-examination of the breasts involves several simple steps.
1. Sit in front of a mirror with your naked bust. Lift your arm overhead, the opposite arm of the breast that you want to examine. (The main alarm is the presence of a 1 cm nodule in the mammary gland structure. If it is larger the 1 cm, we can’t talk about cancer, and if it’s smaller it can’t be detected only thru mammography). For this, the breast won’t be palpated between two fingers but it must be pressed with your fingertips, performing small circular movements. Start the examination from outside and do not apply excessive pressure on the breast, but either not that soft because in this case you can omit the deep areas of the mammary gland. Make sure you use the same circular movements around the whole breast.

2. Then continue with palpation in the same way but this time between the armpit and breast area to observe any size changes of the glands from the armpits.

3. Look carefully and see if there are changes at the surface, changes of the skin color or blood vessels.
4. Search any breast lesions and ulcers, growths, position changes or shape of the nipple, changes of the breast size or symmetry.

5. See a possible nipple leakage or bleeding. Remember if you had somehow any leakage that colored your clothes or your bra.
6. Get down the arm that you have high and let it hang around your body. Repeat the palpation of the breast in this position.

In some circumstances, due to conditions which belong to the inconsistency of the information (genetic factors), external physical affections, chemical or biological, the mechanism of the cell multiplication is disturbed totally.

These cells multiply chaotic, completely destroys the place from which they come, as then they colonize other regions (this process is called metastasis). Finally, the body is overwhelmed by the number and consequences of these colonies – metastases and assigns causing death. All these steps cause enormous suffering: pain, bleeding, the breakdown of the vital functions (respiration, digestion, circulation, reproduction, etc).

A recent study shows that one in eight women is suffering from breast cancer. The first signs of the existence of the breast cancer are when it appears some painful breast nodules or bumps. With breast cancer is not kidding! When the first symptoms will appear, go to the doctor until is not too late. If it is no treated, the consequences can be devastating. You can lose your breast or even worse, you can die.

The first issues: the breast size or shape, changes; wrinkles or bumps of the skin. For an easier observation of these issues you have to look in the mirror under a bright light. The breast cancer is seen more often in women over 35 years but you can start checking for even since the age of 25. It is better to track the breast cancer since the first stage and so you won’t risk running out of life. The doctors recommended an inspection every six months.

Methods to prevent the breast cancer - Knowing at least few of the factors that favor the breast cancer, we can intervene to reduce risk. The genetic factors are not identified yet by laboratory tests but in the near future, will be available some test to tell us if we are exposed to risks. However, if we analyze the family tree and we find among the forerunners more than one breast cancer, we must consider as a person at risk; especially in this situation, a lifestyle change can prevent the outbreak of the breast cancer.

Keeping an ideal weight, a rich nutrition with fruits and vegetables which contain substances that stabilize the cell, exercise, birth and breastfeeding of at least 2 children before you turn 28-30 years, no smoking, minimizing radiation of any type, using hormonal contraceptive only under a specialist control. These are some measures of the lifestyle, easy to be “implemented” , that may decrease the risk of breast cancer by more than 60%.

Winners: The Icelandic men and women from France and Finland - About this division by sex, indifferent of the cancer type, the larges number of men who have survived cancer, are found in Iceland (47%) and highest proportion of women which has cured of cancer is registered in France and Finland (59% in both countries). In Poland it is the lowest percentage of cured patients: 21% for men and 38% for women. Researchers have highlighted a significant difference between EU countries in the types of cancer that have been the most numerous healing.

In Finland, France, Spain and Sweden, are the most cured patients of the breast cancer - 73% of the Finnish, French, Spanish, Swedish patients have been cured of breast cancer while the percentage in Czech Republic and Poland is 60%.

The breast cancer is the most common but in women, and its incidence is increasing. There are over 250,000 new cases diagnosed in Europe and more then 175,000 in the United States of America, with an annual death rate of approximately 165,000 patients in Europe and 44,000 in the United States. Every single year in all over the world, more then 700,000 women die of this disease and it is estimated that 8%,9% of women will develop this awful disease during life. The success rate of the treatment depends on the stage when the cancer was diagnosed.

Survival percent of the breast cancer diagnosis cases is the 100% is the disease is detected early and it decreases if the patient reaches the four stage.

In France and Spain, are the most cured patients of the lung cancer - Data shows that in France and Spain , the number of the lung cancer cured patients is bigger (10%) while in Denmark, Czech Republic and Poland is the lowest proportion (only 5%).

The lung cancer is the most common form of cancer, globally registering 1.4 million new cases annually. Unfortunately, lung cases are diagnosed later in unrespectable or metastasis stage. Despite the chemotherapy use as a first-line therapeutic option, less than 5% of patients with lung cancer survive 5 years, while the remaining 95% are dying in about 12 months after diagnosis. Therefore, extending the survival period without any disease progress and reducing the adverse effects are the key factors in treating the patients of lung cancer.

In France most people are cured of colorectal cancer - France is once again the leader registering the highest healing rate (49%) among colorectal cancer patients, while there are only 30% of poles, Czechs and Danes have been cured of colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer affects the large intestine and is the third type of cancer frequency in both, women and men, representing 13% of all cases of cancer.

Stage I
At this stage, the breast cancer is less or equal than 2 cm, without the axillary lymph loss and without remote release.
Stage II
At this stage the tumor may be higher–about 5 cm. The nodes can be palpable, mobile or fixed, and also without being spread throughout the body.

Stage III
At this stage tumors exceed 5 cm (T3). Sometimes it may be seen a wound at the skin, an ulcer or mercy (T4). The tumor has spread to the axial lymph nodes that are fixed (N2) without remote release (Mo).
Stage IV
At this stage the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and bone metastases, lung, liver or brain may be present (any T, any N, any M1).

Depending on these stages, the doctors will determine the treatment that must be followed. According to specialists, the breast cancer therapy, depends of others factors such as: the general health of the patient; age; premenopausal or postmenopausal status; hematology parameters; histopathology test or biopsy of T, N, or M; associated diseases, renal or liver.

Treatment of breast cancer depending on stage
According to specialists, in stage I, when the disease is localized, the surgery is performed; the surgical therapy is followed by radiotherapy and immunohistochemical examination: the presence or absence of hormone receptors (ER = estrogen receptor, PGR = progesterone receptor, HER2, PCNA, etc).

The hormone therapy and/or chemotherapy may be recommended in certain situations in stage I, according to laboratory tests results. Chemotherapy is recommended if the tumor had invaded the axillary nodes.

The hormone therapy is recommended when is determined that the tumor has estrogen receptors and/or progesteron positive, and it involves: to the premenopausal patients–ovarian inhibition (radiation or medical surgery, with LHRH analysis) and treatment with tamoxifen for 5 years; to the postmenopausal patients–treatment with tamoxifen and/or aromatized inhibitors.

In stage II surgery is present and it may be made a mastectomy followed by radiotherapy. This not only reduces the chance of disease recurrence but it may increase the possibility of healing. Chemotherapy may be recommended if the disease has spread to lymph nodes. In unresectable stage III it begins with 3 to 4 series of chemotherapy sessions. If the answer to this is positive, it is 1 year postoperative then surgery followed by radiotherapy.

According to experts, in metastasis stage IV, the treatment may include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormones with receptors treatment. The hormonal treatment is different not only depending on stage of disease but also of the cycle. Female hormones may affect the cancer growth cells and anti-estrogen hormonal treatment is to prevent this.

In premenopausal women it is performed ovarian inhibition (stop the ovarian function). This is achieved either surgically or by irradiation sessions or by drugs. The medical ovarian inhibition is 20-40% reversible when treatment stops. The hormone receptors are detected by immunohistochemical examination and they are present in over 80% of cases.

These cells have, in fact, a receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGF). A first conclusion is : does not help at all the administration of the herceptin treatment, a blocker of this receptor, says Professor Dominique Maraninchi, the president of the National Cancer Institute of France.

Instead, a new class of drugs – inhibitors baptized PARP – might be useful in these difficult cases. They have the ability to block the action of the enzyme, having an important role in the mechanism for recovery of the DNA malignancies tumors. Preliminary studies show that these substances are making better the chemotherapy action.

A clinical trial presented at ASCO Congress, performed on a sample of 116 women with “triple negative” breast cancer in an advanced form or the disease, shows that patients who received PARP, in addition to classic chemotherapy, survived on average more than nine months compared with 5.7 months for the classic therapy group.

So, it seems that an almost useless drug in a form of cancer, may prove that it is effective in another type of cancer. Herceptin, which can be used only in 20% of breast cancers, can make a “career” in the treatment of the stomach cancer. This molecule blocks the receiving surface of malignant cells, a recipient protein of the epidermal growth factors that accelerate the multiplication of the cells. It is known that certain forms of cancer (ENT, lung or stomach) are often linked with the proliferation of these receptors.

Another study sponsored by the Roche Company, on 3807 patients with stomach cancer in the stage of metastasis, shows that 22% of patients had high levels of these receptors. The administration of Herceptin in addition to chemotherapy for the 594 patients showed an average increase in survival from 11 months to 13.8 months. At the ASCO congress were presented also several therapeutic vaccines, including : BiovaxD – against non-hodgkinian lymphoma and other Biosciences against metastasis melanoma.

]]> http://w-breastcancer.com/breast-cancer-new-drug/feed/ http://w-breastcancer.com/breast-cancer-and-the-causes/ http://w-breastcancer.com/breast-cancer-and-the-causes/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:49:42 +0000 breastcancer http://w-breastcancer.com/?p=215 The breast cancer is a disease in which breast cells begin to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled rate. The breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, while lung cancer remains the most common cause of death in both, men and women. Approximately 1% of all the breast cancers occur in adult men.
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Metastatic breast cancer - Metastasis is the movement of the cancer cells, either trough the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. Metastatic breast cancer occurs when the cancer cells move from breast to other parts of the body and continue to grow in the new location. The metastasis near the breast areas, for example in the axilla (under arm), is called regional metastasis. In other areas of the body, such as in bone, liver or lung, is called metastasis from a distance. Metastatic cancer may be present when initial diagnosed or it may occur few months later or even years.

Recurrent breast cancer - Recurrent breast cancer is that type of cancer that recurs after treatment was finished. The breast cancer recurs in 20% to 30% from all cases after the initial diagnosis. Recurrence rate is higher in the first 5 years after treatment, but may occur in up to 30 years after initial diagnosis. The locally recurrent indicate that the disease reappeared in the breast, after tumor excision and radiotherapy, or in the skin of the chest wall, after mastectomy. The local recurrence of the breast cancer is not considered metastases.

The regional recurring significance, usually, as a disease reappeared near lymph nodes, as an example armpit (axillary lymph nodes) or in the neck (lymph nodes and over clavicle). The recurrent distance refers to the breast cancer which appeared in other parts of the body, such as in live, lung, bones or brain.

Causes - The exact cause of breast cancer is not known. The female hormones and the increase in age, play a role. The breast cancer is a common disease in women over 50 years. The probability that a woman will develop breast cancer at the age of 30 years is 1 in 250.  The risk of a woman to develop breast cancer at the age of 40 is 1 in 70. The women with a history of breast cancer have an increased risk of developing recurrent or metastatic breast cancer, most of recurrences appear between 5 to 10 years from the initial diagnosis.

Symptoms - The metastatic or recurrent cancer symptoms depend on the location and stretching. There may be specific physical symptoms, such as a tumor in the breast or chest wall, bone pain or an interrupted breathing (shorted). They also may be no symptoms at all. Sometimes, the recurrent or metastatic cancer is discovered before the symptoms to appear either on a chest x-rays or to laboratory tests which are made for staging or for tracking.

Diagnosis - The metastatic and recurrent breast cancer is diagnosed using physical examination, mammograms, blood tests, chest radiography, bone, ultrasound and CT scan or MRI. The diagnosis of the breast cancer should be confirmed by a biopsy of the suspected region.

The breast cancer is the increase of the abnormal cells which are found (lining) between ducts and breast lobules. The breast cancer is classified according to the microscopic appearance of the cancer cells. Stages indicate how far cancer cells have moved. The doctor who treats breast cancer, determine the stage by picking up the results after tests, as biopsy of lymph nodes, blood tests, bone radiography. The cancer staging is one of the most important factors in choosing the right treatment.

]]> http://w-breastcancer.com/breast-cancer-and-the-causes/feed/ http://w-breastcancer.com/types-of-breast-cancer-treatments/ http://w-breastcancer.com/types-of-breast-cancer-treatments/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:46:38 +0000 breastcancer http://w-breastcancer.com/?p=213 The treatment of breast cancer depends of the location where it appeared and of how much it has spread. The treatment may include:  chemotherapy; hormone therapy, as tamoxifen or aromatic inhibitors; biological therapy with monoclonal antibodies that block the HER-2 protein; radiotherapy; surgical removal of the tumor
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The decisions over the recurrent or metastatic breast cancer treatment are based on a combination of factors, which includes specific information about cancer, patient decision and overall health. Although, the most recurrent or metastatic cancer, can’t be cured and the treatment can only improve the quality of life and increase the survival time.

The type of treatment applied depends on the patient’s overall health and how well they cope with daily activities (performance status).

Initial treatment - Treatment depends on the symptoms, the interest area from the body and the possibility of the cancer if it has been extended. The treatment may include: hormone therapy with drugs like tamoxifien or an aromatic inhibitor; chemotherapy with drugs as doxorubicin, taxol and cyclophosphamide; bisphosphonates to reduce bone pain, fractures and compression of the spinal cord caused by spinal metastases;radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells; intervention for locally recurrent; corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and swelling (swelling) caused by metastatic disease which is interested in the brain and spinal cord.

Home treatment - During the treatment for metastatic or recurrent breast cancer, you can choose on home treatment. This kind of treatment will help the patient to face the secondary effects that often accompany the treatment or the breast cancer. Home treatment may be all that is necessary to deal these common problems. In general, healthy habits such as: a balanced diet, enough sleep and gym, can help to control the symptoms. If the specialist recommends a specific medication and specific instructions to treat these symptoms, they should be respected.

The treatment with drugs - Metastatic or recurrent breast cancer is treated with a variety of drugs including systemic chemotherapy and hormones therapy. The treatment schedule proposed by the doctor depends on the symptoms, characteristics of cancer, location, stretching grade and of the first treatment followed.

Surgery - The surgery in generally is used to treat metastatic breast cancer. The mastectomy may be used to treat cancer that has relapsed in the breast (locally recurrent ), followed by conservative surgery and radiotherapy.

Other treatments - The metastatic breast cancer often affects the bones or brain. Radiation therapy may be a good choice for brain metastases, to remove bone pain and to control the cancer spreading. The type or duration of the treatment depends on the extension of the breast cancer radiotherapy, of the affected area, the overall health and other symptoms that the patient might have. There are some clinical trials to test other treatments for the metastatic or recurrent breast cancer. The diagnosed patients can discuss with the medical staff about the possibility of participating in clinical trials.

Psychological support: Many people with breast cancer face also emotional problems as a result of disease or treatment. The center where you follow the breast cancer treatment, can provide psychological support.

Steps that can be followed by a patient to overcome his emotions reaction on hearing the diagnosis of metastatic or recurrent breast cancer, are: the discussion with family and friends;  spending some free time alone; contacting a local organization that helps him find a support group; talking with others who may have similar feelings may be very helpful.