About Cancer

There are various types of breast cancer treatments which range from conventional, alternative, holistic, and natural ways. It is best to educate yourself prior to your decision. Knowledge brings wisdom and understanding. Gather as much information as possible, ask questions, and join support groups for breast cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, the conventional method involves surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone, or targeted therapy. Most breast cancer patients have surgery to remove the cancer from the breast. There are several types of surgery.

The total mastectomy involves removing the whole breast that has cancer. Some lymph nodes under the arm can be removed by a separate incision. Modified radical mastectomy removes the whole breast with cancer, lymph nodes under the arm, lining of the chest muscles, and or part of the chest wall muscles. Radical mastectomy remove the breast, chest wall muscles under the breast, and all the lymph nodes under the arm.

After the surgery, some patients may be given radiation, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells left behind. Radiation therapy involves using high energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wire which are directly placed into or near the cancer. Depending on the type and stage of cancer, the therapy may be slightly different.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop the cancer cells from growing. It can be administered by mouth or injected into the vein. The drugs travels through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells. Again, depending on the cancer stage and type, chemotherapy may be treated differently for each person.

Hormone therapy removes hormones or block their action and stops cancer cells. Tamoxifen is often given at early stages of breast cancer and those with metastatic breast cancer. Hormone therapy with tamoxifen or estrogen can act on cells all over the body and may increase the chance of developing endometrial cancer. Depending on whether the patient is post menopausal and hormone-dependent breast cancer, therapy can change accordingly.

Targeted therapy uses drugs or other source to kill cancer cells without harming the normal cells. Monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors are two types of therapies being studied to treat breast cancer.

Alternative, holistic, and natural treatments involve using only natural resources to heal the body. Breast cancer patients who have tried the conventional treatments and have been unsuccessful turn to alternative treatments. There are many successful stories of breast cancer survivors who have passed their remission stage and lead a normal healthy live.

Treating the body, mind, and soul are known to heal the body, naturally. We know that stress causes chemical imbalance in our bodies, sometimes lowering our immune system. Cancer patience, including breast cancer have lower immune system than healthy people. That's why doctors warn patients under going chemotherapy to avoid crowds to prevent getting pneumonia.

Eating whole organic vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, herbs, and tea are part of the treatment to getting better. There are also retreats that help breast cancer patients to relieve anxiety syndromes, stress, anger, and pain. Looking at the whole rather than parts of the body in terms of treating the disease holistically cures patients.

The Budwig diet, which involves eating a healthy vegetarian diet with low-fat cottage cheese and organic flax seed oil healed many breast cancer patients and others. The raw food diet also has testimonials of cancer patients leading a healthy lifestyle following the complete diet. Breast cancer is most common among women, however there are over 100 different types of cancer that strikes people every year. Why not educate yourself and find resources that best helps heal your disease.

Cancer is caused by cell growth which is out of control and there are many different types of cancer which is classified by the type of cell that is affected initially. The cells which are damaged uncontrollably divide to form into lumps of tissue which are known as tumors. These tumors can alter the body functioning and grow bigger. The tumors which stay in one place and have limited amount of growth are benign whereas the malignant tumors are more dangerous. Malignant tumors are formed when a cancerous cell travels through the body in the blood or when the cell divides and grows.

Some of the different types of cancer in women are as below:

1. Breast Cancer: Breast Cancer is the most common type of cancer found in women. It begins in the breast and the cancerous cells spread to the other parts of the body. If this cancer is detected early, it can be cured or treated but if it has spread to the other parts of the body, it can be life threatening. The stage of the cancer has to be detected to decide the best treatment to undergo. Often, there are no symptoms of breast cancer in the early stages but as the cancer grows it may show the following symptoms of a change in the shape or size of the breast, a lump in the breast, nipple inversion or nipple discharge. The types of breast cancer are Invasive and non invasive.

2. Cervical Cancer: This type of cancer in women begins in the cervix which is the part of the uterus that opens to the vagina. Cervical Cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. Human Papillomavirus is what causes the cervical cancer mostly. This virus is transmitted sexually and sometimes the immune system of the woman's body destroys the virus leading to normal state of the cervix. But sometimes the virus infection remains and leads to cancer. The Pap test and the HPV test should be done when recommended and should not be ignored. Treatments of cervical cancer can be systemic or local. The local treatments destroy or control the cancer cells in one area using radiation or surgery. Systemic treatments destroy or control the cells throughout the body using chemotherapy.

3. Ovarian Cancer: Ovarian Cancer in women causes bloating, abdominal pain, pelvic pain, difficulty in eating or urinary symptoms. It can also cause constipation, fatigue and pain in the body. A pelvic examination and pelvic ultrasound needs to be done to get tested for ovarian cancer. Surgery or chemotherapy is used for treatment of this cancer.

4. Vaginal Cancer: Vaginal Cancer in women starts in the vagina usually in the lining of the vagina and takes many years to develop. Pap tests help to detect vaginal cancers. The symptoms of vaginal cancer may be vaginal bleeding after lovemaking, pain while passing urine, pain during sexual lovemaking, constipation or abnormal discharge.

5. Vulvar Cancer: Vulvar cancer in women starts in the vulva which is the outer part of the reproductive system in females. This is not a very common type of cancer and can be cured if detected early.

6. Uterine Sacoma: This is the cancer that develops in the tissues of the uterus. The main types of uterine sarcoma are uterine leiomyosarcoma, uterine carcinosacoma, uterine adenosarcoma and endometrial sarcoma.

These are some of the conditions of cancer in women. It is required for women to undergo some tests like the Pap test and mammogram regularly to detect cancer early and to avoid cancer.