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.

When I entered the room from the Institute of Oncology, I saw a woman about 60 years old, who was in the bed groaning because of pain and asking me to get closer. With an extinguished voice she implored not to reveal her name because she does not want that her friends and acquaintances to know about ordeal through she is passing by, about the fact that she is close to the margin of the grave…  she reached a moment which is close to the death.

Two years ago she discovered by chance a breast node that was diagnosed by doctors as cancer at the mammary gland; breast was removed and she was able to overcome this suffering, trough the loving husband, children and grandchildren. Following a complex treatment, apparently escaped the deadly disease. She felt good a period, she had energy and she lived the life full.

The happiness lasted until last October when she began suffering from backache, osteoporosis symptoms and disc pains… displacement. The doctor prescribed some medicines and also massages which did not help her at all; her condition became worse. Following the investigations, she found out that actually, breast tumor has developed multiple bone metastasis.

She was taken to hospital in the arms of her desperate husband who had lost all hope in the healing of his wife. “It never passed trough my mind that I will get into that. Of course, this disease is related to genotype but also of anyone’s character. All my life I had officials. It is well know that if you are seen well and deserve better, of course you also have many enemies. You are useful to “our” man only as long as you are someone in society. If do not represent anything anymore, they betray.

I was a combative person for something beautiful. I sacrificed in the truly meaning of the word. Too late I realized that in this life the charity is not important, especially for a sensitive woman.”, confessed to me the poor woman, being forced to swallow bit of red wine. Friends, colleagues… no one know her pain. She was a perfectionist, generous with everyone but she consumes the heart too much for each failure and frustration. Now she does not want to burden her friends with her suffering.

There is only family beside her. “Let us defend the psychological climate, positive thinking, to forgive and let us not revenge. Let’s us not upset on anyone, to accept people as they are, for that surely is one God. Everyone has the right to fail and to help him. You won’t change the world but you can pray for a stranger.” Our friend is a strong woman and never gave up hope, love and faith. If two months ago she needed help walking, now she walks alone. Above all, prayers to the Lord put her on her feet and after that, treatments.

For the women which represent a higher risk of developing breast cancer, such as families with breast cancer history, with personal history, fibroids, the mammogram should be performed only with the doctor’s order but it should not replace the regular self-examination or the regular consultation.

The mammogram is a simple procedure. According to specialists, most of the breast nodules are not malignant. Even if the breast cancer is detected, it can be treated. Although mammograms, same like the most medical tests, does not have a 100% accuracy, but still, the regular monitoring with the help of mammography, is the best way to discover breast cancer early, before it will appear the signs or symptoms of cancer. Some studies have shown that mammograms reduce the death rate caused of breast cancer, with more then a third.

Mammography - The procedure: The mammography is an x-ray examination which is using low doses of radiation. The examination must be done preferably during the first half of the menstruation period, and is always bilateral and involves at least two clichés – front and profile – of each breast. Sometimes it requires a third cliché – oblique which is allowing the exploration of the axillary cavities. The radiologist places the patient half stripped in front of the device and before each cliché, he compresses the breast between card port video and a transparent plate.

The mammography requires a previous training only if there exists some leakage trough nipple, situation at which is making a prior opacification of galactofor channels by injecting a contrast product; this procedure is called galactography.

The procedure of processing and developing the film are strictly controlled in order to obtain the best quality image. The mammograms are used to diagnose the changes or the structure abnormalities detected by the self-examination or clinical examination, being used as screening to detect early cancer.

Mammography - Reading the results: Even if we talk about a method what uses X-rays, their quantity is reduced and so the specialists say that the benefits of screening outweigh any kind of risks due to irradiation. Mammography helps to detecting the breast cancer in the first stage of evolution, at the dimensions of 5 mm, while the clinical examination it will detect when the tumor has at least 1 cm in diameter.

In a few cases, the accuracy of the mammogram is lower then usual. For the women with a breast implant, the ability of mammograms to detect abnormalities drops from 92% to 33% because the implant content –liquid or gel– can obstruct the view, as well as the scar tissue that forms around the implant. When the mammogram is false positive it means that the screening shows that there are anomalies but these prove not to be cancer. Most of these false positive results will prove to be negative for cancer. At all ages, 5-10 % of the mammograms are abnormal and they are followed by additional tests – sampling, surgical biopsy or ultrasound.

However, opinions are divided. Some experts say that having breast cancer during pregnancy women risk losing the baby or to give birth prematurely and others say that breast cancer doesn’t affect pregnancy. One thing is sure. breast cancer can’t spread to the baby. But what about the treatment? Well, in a recent study, some women with breast cancer were followed during pregnancy. Most of them had an advanced form of breast cancer.

Due to advanced stage, 16 patients (70%) have made chemotherapy with anthracyclines in the 2^nd and 3^rd trimester, pending surgical excision of the tumor. This type of chemotherapy has the least harmful effect on the fetus and is the preferred method in pregnant women where radiotherapy and surgery, in generally, are avoided.

12 women out of 16, performed mammograms to track the tumor response to chemotherapy. Researchers have demonstrated that the patients responded accurately to the treatment.

So, breast cancer does not appear to affect the fetus and also pregnancy does not appear to affect survival women who had breast cancer in the past. Some doctors recommend that a woman should wait 2 years after breast cancer treatment, to have a child and so any relapse of the cancer can be detected.

This could affect a woman’s decision to become pregnant but it does not appear that fetus may be affected if the mother had breast cancer in the past; effect of some certain cancer treatments on subsequent pregnancy, are not known. (  not even effects of treatment with high dose of chemotherapy and bone marrow transplation, with or without radiotherapy, on a future pregnancy, are not known).

On the other hand, lactation (milk production by the mammary gland) and breast feeding should be stopped if surgery and chemotherapy are planned. That is because the blood flow in the mammary gland must be reduced and indeed the size too or because many anticancer drugs, especially cyclophosphamide and methotrexate, may occur at high levels in the breast milk and can affect the baby.

However, breastfeeding is beneficial for both, mother and child, reducing the risk of breast cancer. A study of cancer statistics conducted by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has shown that breastfeeding mothers for a year, 4.8% less risk of breast cancer.

This process reduces the level of certain cancerous hormones which are present in mother’s blood and at the end of the breastfeeding, mother’s body eliminates the damaged breast cells, which have might transform in the future, into tumors. Breastfeeding is beneficial also to prevent ovarian cancer decreases the risk of myocardial stroke with almost 25%. Also, breast milk strengthens the child’s health, protecting him against intestinal parasites, asthma, lung infections and allergies.

- Olivia Newton John - Actress and singer - Shirley Temple Black - Actress, singer and diplomat - Jill Eikenberry - Actress - Diahann Carroll - Actress and singer - Jaclyn Smith - Actress

- Kate Jackson - Actress - Ann Jillian - Actress - Patti LaBelle - Actress, singer and author - Marcia Wallance - Actress - Rue McClanaha - Actress - Margaretta (Happy) Rockefeller - Actress - Christina Applegate - Actress - Dame Elleen Atkins - Actress - Kaye Ballard - Actress - Brigitte Bardot - Actress - Alexandra Bastedo - Actress and model - Allyce Beasley - Actress and TV comedian - Eileen Brankin - Actress - Diahann Carroll - Actress and singer

- Lois Chiles - Actress - Ruby Dee - Actress - Simone de Oliveira - Actress and singer - Diana Dill - Actress and ex-wife of Kirk Dougles and mother of Michael Douglas - Marianne Faithfull - Actress - Maria Friedman - Actress - Julie Harris - Actress - Maeve Kinkead - Actress - Sondra Locke - Actress - Amanda Mealing - Actress - Kylie Minogye - Actress and singer

Deceased actresses: - Ingrid Bergman - Actress - Bette Davis - Actress - Marcella Markham - Actress - Jill Ireland - Actress and wife of actor Charles Bronson - Coral Browne - Actress and wife of Vincent Price - Hattie McDaniel - Actress - Louise Troy - Actress - Sigrid Wurschmidt - Actress

- Danitra Vance - Actress - Luana Anders - Actress - Jeanne Bal - Actress - Jeanne Bates - Actress - Ingrid Bergman - Actress - Bibi Besch - Actress - Vanessa Brown - Actress - Lilyan Chauvin - Actress and director - Norma Crane - Actress - Charlotte Saunders Cushman - Actress - Julie Ege - Actress - Belinda Emmett - Actress - Caren Fraction - Actress, dancer and model - Helen Gahagan - Actress and wife of Melvyn Douglas