Dr. Dhananjaya

Maintaining a nutritious diet is always a necessity and the need is more so during breast cancer treatment. Cancer being a dreadful disease, the treatment procedures put a lot of stress on any person. As it is, a person affected by cancer tends to become weak and add to that the rigorous methods of treatment. As these aspects make one thing clear from a patient’s perspective, which is to have a balanced, healthy and nutritious diet during treatment. Only then will the body have necessary strength to heal itself completely after getting treated. Good nutrition would help women to stay strong and feel good. Each cancer patient would have unique nutritional needs as per their weight, extent of the disease and their ability to intake food.

Benefits Of Good Nutrition During Breast Cancer Treatment

• There are quite a number of benefits to maintain good nutrition during cancer treatment. Some of them are detailed below:
• Cancer makes you weak, hence intake of good nutritious food enables you to combat fatigue.
• Helps to maintain your body’s store of nutrients and your weight. It ensures that you don’t lose weight due to weakness.
• Good nutrition would result in decreasing the risk of getting infected and also allow you recover faster.

What type of diet should you follow?
Now we take a look at the nutritious diet, which cancer patients must ensure to take during cancer treatment:

• Eat less but have frequent meals throughout the day: Avoid eating too much as weight gain would be a menace in this phase. So, eat small meals frequently and that would ensure your body is getting the required protein, calories and nutrients to tolerate treatment. This would also help in reducing the side-effects related to the treatment, such as nausea.
• Take protein-rich foods: Taking foods which are rich in protein, is a necessity as protein allows the body to repair tissues and cells. Protein also helps in building immunity. So, take items like chicken, fish, eggs, low fat dairy products in the form of milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts, beans, soyabeans. These would give you the strength to bear treatment.
• Eat a whole lot of fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables should be there in your diet as they provide antioxidants to the body, which can be of great help in fighting cancer. For patients, who are going through treatment and have weak immune system, fresh fruits and vegetables should be cooked and include them in their daily diet.
• Drink water: It’s important for patients to drink enough water during treatment so that there is no chance of getting dehydrates. Caffeinated beverages should be avoided.
• Go for sources of healthy fat: Fried, fatty and greasy foods should be completely avoided at all costs. Rather, choose boiled, baked or grilled foods. Healthy fats would include:
  • Avocados
  • Olive oil
  • Seeds
  • Nuts
• Intake of sweets should be limited: Sweets should be kept away from the diet of a cancer patient receiving treatment. Along with it, avoid items having high content of added sugar.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The uterus or womb, is a muscular structure and is held in place by ligaments and pelvic muscles. If these muscles or tendons become weak, they cause prolapse and are no longer able to hold the uterus in its place.

Uterine prolapse happens when the uterus falls or slips from its ordinary position and into the vagina or birth waterway. It could be complete prolapse or even incomplete at times. A fragmented prolapse happens when the uterus is just hanging into the vagina. A complete prolapse depicts a circumstance in which the uterus falls so far down that some tissue rests outside of the vagina. Likewise, as a lady ages and with a loss of the hormone estrogen, her uterus can drop into the vaginal canal. This condition is known as a prolapsed uterus.

Risks: The risks of this condition are many and have been enumerated as follows:

1. Complicated delivery during pregnancy
2. Weak pelvic muscle
3. Loss of tissue after menopause and loss of common estrogen
4. Expanded weight in the stomach area, for example, endless cough, constipation, pelvic tumors or accumulation of liquid in the guts
5. Being overweight
6. Obesity causing extra strain on the muscles
7. Real surgery in the pelvic zone
8. Smoking

Symptoms: Some of the most common symptoms of prolapse involve:

1. Feeling of sitting on a ball
2. Abnormal vaginal bleeding
3. Increase in discharge
4. Problems while performing sexual intercourse
5. Seeing the uterus coming out of the vagina
6. A pulling or full feeling in the pelvis
7. Constipation
8. Bladder infections

Nonsurgical medications include:

1. Losing weight and getting in shape to take stress off of pelvic structures
2. Maintaining a distance from truly difficult work
3. Doing Kegel workouts, which are pelvic floor practices that strengthen the vaginal muscles. This can be done at any time, even while sitting down at a desk.
4. Taking estrogen treatment especially during menopause
5. Wearing a pessary, which is a gadget embedded into the vagina that fits under the cervix and pushes up to settle the uterus and cervix
6. Indulging in normal physical activity

Some specialists use the following methods to diagnose the problem:

1. The specialist will examine you in standing position keeping in mind you are resting and request that you to cough or strain to build the weight in your abdomen.
2. Particular conditions, for example, ureteral block because of complete prolapse, may require an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) or renal sonography. Color is infused into your vein, and an X-ray is used to view the flow of color through your urinary bladder.
3. An ultrasound might be utilised to rule out any other existing pelvic issues. In this test, a wand is used on your stomach area or embedded into your vagina to create images of the internal organ with sound waves. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

Noncancerous growths of the muscle tissue surrounding the uterus are known as uterine fibroids. This is a common disease which about 70 to 80% of women contract by the time they are 50 years of age. The uterine fibroids can sometimes be very big and cause heavy periods as well as severe abdominal pain while at other times, uterine fibroids give no signs or symptoms whatsoever and go away on their own. This is why it is crucial to know what type of uterine fibroids you have and how to diagnose them. Here are the types of uterine fibroids and how to diagnose them;

Types
There are three main types of uterine fibroids. They are;

1. Intramural fibroids
The most common type of uterine fibroids are intramural fibroids. They typically appear in the endometrium and may grow larger which results in your womb getting stretched.

2. Subserosal fibroids
Subserosal fibroids are called so because they form on the serosa. The serosa is the outside of your uterus. Sometimes, Subserosal fibroids may grow so large that your uterus appears bigger on one side.

3. Pedunculated fibroids
Pedunculated fibroids tumors are basically Subserosal fibroids with a stem. A base which supports the tumor is called the stem.

Diagnosis
There are a number of tests done to diagnose uterine fibroids. They are;

1. Pelvic exam
A pelvic exam is a thorough inspection of a woman pelvic area. The organs which are in the pelvic area include the cervix, ovaries, uterus and vagina. Normally, this and the next test in this article are enough to diagnose uterine fibroids.

2. Medical history
The history of your periods as well as the other symptoms you have will often be enough to diagnose the uterine fibroids. If your medical history is not enough, then you might need to undergo a pelvic exam.

3. Pelvic ultrasound
An ultrasound is when high-intensity sound waves are used to produce images of the pelvic area. This is only done when a pelvic exam and your medical history are not enough to diagnose uterine fibroids. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

The uterus or womb, is a muscular structure and is held in place by ligaments and pelvic muscles. If these muscles or tendons become weak, they cause prolapse and are no longer able to hold the uterus in its place.

Uterine prolapse happens when the uterus falls or slips from its ordinary position and into the vagina or birth waterway. It could be complete prolapse or even incomplete at times. A incomplete prolapse happens when the uterus is just hanging into the vagina. A complete prolapse depicts a circumstance in which the uterus falls so far down that some tissue rests outside of the vagina. Likewise, as a lady ages and with a loss of the hormone estrogen, her uterus can drop into the vaginal canal. This condition is known as a prolapsed uterus.

Causes of Prolapse: The risks of this condition are many and have been enumerated as follows:

1. Complicated delivery during pregnancy
2. Weak pelvic muscle
3. Loss of tissue after menopause and loss of common estrogen
4. Expanded weight in the stomach area, for example, endless cough, constipation, pelvic tumors or accumulation of liquid in the guts
5. Being overweight
6. Obesity causing extra strain on the muscles
7. Real surgery in the pelvic zone
8. Smoking

Symptoms: Some of the most common symptoms of prolapse involve:

1. Feeling of sitting on a ball
2. Abnormal vaginal bleeding
3. Increase in discharge
4. Problems while performing sexual intercourse
5. Seeing the uterus coming out of the vagina
6. A pulling or full feeling in the pelvis
7. Constipation
8. Bladder infections

Nonsurgical medications include:

1. Losing weight and getting in shape to take stress off of pelvic structures
2. Maintaining a distance from truly difficult work
3. Doing Kegel workouts, which are pelvic floor practices that strengthen the vaginal muscles. This can be done at any time, even while sitting down at a desk.
4. Taking estrogen treatment especially during menopause
5. Wearing a pessary, which is a gadget embedded into the vagina that fits under the cervix and pushes up to settle the uterus and cervix
6. Indulging in normal physical activity

Some specialists use the following methods to diagnose the problem:

1. The specialist will examine you in standing position keeping in mind you are resting and request that you to cough or strain to build the weight in your abdomen.
2. Particular conditions, for example, ureteral block because of complete prolapse, may require an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) or renal sonography. Color is infused into your vein, and an X-ray is used to view the flow of color through your urinary bladder.
3. An ultrasound might be utilised to rule out any other existing pelvic issues. In this test, a wand is used on your stomach area or embedded into your vagina to create images of the internal organ with sound waves.

Treatment

If you have mild uterine prolapse, either without symptoms or with symptoms that don't bother you, you probably don't need treatment. However, your pelvic floor may continue to lose tone, making uterine prolapse more severe as time goes on. Check with your doctor to monitor the extent of your prolapse and review your symptoms.

For advanced cases of uterine prolapse, treatment options include:

1. Vaginal pessary. This device fits inside your vagina and holds your uterus in place. Used as temporary or permanent treatment, vaginal pessaries come in many shapes and sizes. Your doctor measures and fits you for the proper device. You'll learn how to insert, remove and clean the pessary. A pessary also can irritate vaginal tissues, possibly to the point of causing sores (ulcers) on vaginal tissues, and it may interfere with sexual intercourse.
2. Surgery. To repair damaged or weakened pelvic floor tissues, your surgeon may perform the procedure through your vagina, although sometimes an abdominal surgery is needed. Surgical repair of your prolapse may involve grafting your own tissue, donor tissue or some synthetic material onto weakened pelvic floor structures to support your pelvic organs. Your surgeon may recommend a hysterectomy, which removes your uterus. In some cases, minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery is a possibility. This procedure involves smaller abdominal incisions, special surgical instruments and a lighted camera-type device (laparoscope) to guide the surgeon. Which surgery and surgical approach the doctor recommends depends on your individual needs and circumstances. Each procedure has pros and cons that you'll need to discuss with your surgeon.

If you plan future pregnancies, you might not be a good candidate for surgery to repair uterine prolapse. Pregnancy and delivery of a baby put strain on the supportive tissues of the uterus and can undo the benefits of surgical repair. Also, for women with major medical problems, the causes of surgery might outweigh the benefits. In these instances, pessary use may be your best treatment choice for bothersome symptoms. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

Even though brain aneurysms are becoming common these days, not all of them are required to be treated. In some cases, the physician may choose to observe an aneurysm closely before adopting any treatment measure. But in patients in whom an aneurysm has progressed to a severe level, there are two treatment options:

1. Open surgical clipping
2. Endovascular therapy or coiling

Open surgical clipping for brain aneurysms:
This procedure is typically performed by a neurosurgeon who makes an incision in the head. An opening in the bone is made, and then a clip is positioned by dissecting through the spaces of the brain. This aids in preventing the flow of blood into an aneurysm. In this procedure, the patient is required to stay in the hospital for two to three nights after which he or she is discharged.

Considerable modifications have been made in the open surgery techniques in the recent years. Neurosurgeons are now able to perform eye brow incisions or mini craniotomies for clipping an aneurysm. In these procedures, a small incision is cut out in the skin above the eyebrow for making a window. A tiny clip is placed across the mouth of an aneurysm to help it heal. But it is worthy of mention here that these are all invasive procedures and take relatively longer time to recover compared to the coiling process.

Endovascular coiling:

• This treatment is also performed by a neurosurgeon, and it has been proved that this process is exceptionally suitable for patients with a ruptured aneurysm. Endovascular coiling is often done in coalesce with an angiogram, where a catheter is inserted into the vessel over the hip, which is then gradually carried to the vessels of the brain and finally to an aneurysm.
• Then the coils are packed to the point where it rises from the blood vessel, which prevents the blood from flowing intothe blood vessel. Most patients undergoing this minimally invasive procedure can go home the day following the surgery. The success rate of this process is very high, and over 125,000 patients have been treated all across the globe with the help of detachable platinum coils.
• Over the last few years, a substantial amount of advancements have taken place in the endovascular techniques. Recent developments show the use of flow diverting embolization devices, which are similar to a stent and are placed in the primary vessel, adjacent to an aneurysm. It diverts the flow away from an aneurysm and therefore, allows the neurosurgeons to treat the brain aneurysms, which were previously considered inaccessible and untreatable.

Both the procedures are quite efficient in treating a brain aneurysm. The most suitable option is dependent on a host of factors such as size, shape, location and overall health condition of the patient. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Neurosurgeon.

Brain surgery involves several medical procedures, which incorporate fixing issues with the brain, including changes in the tissues of the brain, cerebrospinal fluid and brain blood flow. Brain surgery is quite a complicated method of surgery and the type of surgery to be conducted depends on the underlying conditions.

Reasons for Brain Surgery:
Brain surgery is performed for the correction of physical brain abnormalities. These abnormalities could occur because of diseases, birth defects and injuries. A brain surgery is required when the following conditions arise in the brain:

1. Abnormal blood vessels
2. Aneurysm
3. Bleeding
4. Blood clots in the brain
5. When the protective tissue or dura is damaged
6. Epilepsy
7. Due to nerve damage
8. Parkinson's disease
9. Any kind of pressure after an injury
10. Abscesses
11. Skull fractures
12. In case of stroke and tumors

A surgery may not be required for all the above mentioned conditions, but in case of many, a brain surgery is very important as the conditions may worsen health problems.

Types of brain surgeries:

1. Craniotomy: During this open brain surgery, an incision is made in the scalp, and a hole is created in the skull, near the area, which is being treated. After this process is complete, the hole or bone flap is secured in its place using plates or wires.
2. Biopsy: This form of brain surgery helps in the removal of a small amount of brain tissues or tumors. After removal, the tissues or tumors are examined under a microscope. The creation of a small incision and a hole in the skull is indicated as a part of this process.
3. Minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery: This form of brain surgery enables the removal or lesions and tumors via the nose and sinuses. Private parts of the brain can be accessed without creating an incision. An endoscope is utilized in the process which is used to examine tumors all across the brain.
4. Minimally Invasive neuroendoscopy: This process is similar to the minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery. This method also involves the use of an endoscope for removal of brain tumors. Small, dime sized holes may be made in the skull to access some brain parts.

Risks:
Brain surgeries may be associated with several risks. They may be:

1. Allergic reactions to anesthesia
2. Bleeding
3. Blood clot formations
4. Swelling of the brain
5. A state of coma
6. Impairment in speech, coordination and vision.
7. Problems in memory
8. Strokes and seizures
9. Infections in the brain

A brain surgery is a serious and very complex surgery. There are different kinds of brain surgeries, which are conducted depending on the condition and severity of the disease. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Neurosurgeon.