Dr. H N Pankaja

The rising incidences of cancer have made it important for us to be vigilant about our health. It has been proven medically that if cancer is detected at an early stage -stage I & II , then the chances of cure and treatment along with full recovery are very high. For early cancer detection & for people at greater risk of cancer, PHC-Preventive Health Care plays a major role. Preventive Health Check is particularly important for the people who have a family history of cancer.

Hereditary Cancers:

Almost all cancers are caused by damage or mutation in their genes, which, may be acquired from environmental exposure, dietary factors, hormones or through normal aging. In 90% of cases, these genes are not passed from parents to children. These are known as sporadic mutations and the cancers that they cause are called as sporadic cancers. But 5-10% of cancers are caused by gene mutations which are inherited from one or both parents & passed on to the children .These are hereditary or germline mutations & these cancers are known as hereditary or familial cancers.

People /children, who carry gene mutations have a higher risk of developing cancer at an earlier age or at some point in their life time.

Some of the common such cancers, which run in families, are:

• Breast cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Colo-rectal cancer (cancer of large intestine )
• Prostate cancer
• Lymphoma
• Melanoma
• Retinoblastoma

Breast, ovary & colo-rectal carcinoma have well established gene mutation studies.Mutation of BRCA 1 & BRCA2 Genes is responsible for 85% of hereditary breast cancers.

Estimated life time risk for developing breast cancer in woman with BRCA1 & BRCA2 mutation is 56-87% & risk for developing-bilateral /contralatral breast cancer is about 20-40%. These statistics make a preventive health check for women with breast cancer history in their family a necessity. Mutation in these genes confers about 20-40% increased life time risk for developing ovarian cancer. Hence the presence of gene mutation for breast cancer can trigger ovarian cancer.

However as stated above, other environmental and lifestyle factors can also cause breast cancer other than genetic BRCA1 & BRCA 2 gene mutations.

• Increasing age
• Early menarche
• Late menopause
• Nulliparity
• First birth after the age of 30
• Atypical lobular hyperplasia or Atypical ductal hyperplasia
• Prior breast biopsies
• Long term postmenopausal estiogen replacement
• Early exposure to ionizing radiation

Other Familial Cancers:

Familial cancer syndromes associated with colo-rectal cancers are familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).It is an autosomal dominant inherited syndrome with more than 90% penetrance, manifested by hundreds of polyps developed by late adolescence .The risk of developing invasive cancer is almost 100% .So such patients should start getting colonoscopy at an earlier age- say by 20yr of age & should undergo Total Collectomy on development of significant polyps .

Other familial cancer syndromes are hereditary non -Polyposis Colo Rectal Cancer (HNPCC), Gardner's Syndrome, Turcot's Syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome, Juvenile Polyposis.

Cancer Assessment & Conclusion:

For breast cancer risk assessment, we have the GAIL model & IBIS model, which take into consideration ,all the risk factors, apart from BRCA1 & BRCA 2 gene mutation. These models calculate the over all life time risk of development of breast cancer for any lady. For this, you have to consult a specialist experienced in area of hereditary cancers, cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling & testing.

To conclude, all people with cancers in their family should undergo genetic testing & counseling, to detect high risk individuals should take adequate measures & treatment.

What all women should know about IUI

Intrauterine insemination or IUI is a form of artificial insemination that involves the sperm being placed inside the uterus of a woman for bringing about fertilization. The aim of this procedure is to enhance the number of sperms that successfully reach the fallopian tubes and fertilize an egg, thereby increasing your chances of getting pregnant. Depending on the cause of your infertility, the procedure can be synchronized with fertility drugs or your ovulation cycle.

When should you go for IUI?

While reduced sperm mobility or a low sperm count may be the reason this procedure is opted for, there are certain conditions that may cause you and your partner to opt for IUI:

• If the cause of your infertility doesn't have any medical explanation
• Problems with ejaculation affecting the release of semen
• Problems associated with cervical mucus can hinder the journey of the sperm from the vagina to the fallopian tubes
• Scarring of the cervix due to past surgical procedures, rendering the sperm unable to enter the uterus

At the same time, the procedure is not recommended for women who suffer from:

• A disease of the fallopian tubes
• Past episodes of pelvic infections
• Mild to severe endometriosis (a condition wherein the womb's lining grows outside it)

What happens after IUI?

The procedure takes up only a few minutes of your time and causes very little discomfort. Following the procedure, you'll be told to lie on your back for a short period of time, after which you can get back to your normal routine the same day. You can expect instances of light spotting, which will go away after two days.

'Consult'.

Related Tip: 6 Nutrients Women Need The Most

Anxiety disorders are serious issues amongst individuals of all ages today. It is a psychological feeling of uneasiness or fear about something, which can create other physiological and behavioral changes in a human being and can even drive a a person crazy. It can be characterized by symptoms such as sweating palms, rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, dry mouth, which arise due to various reasons such as face of fearing the crowd, stage-fright, doubt about facing a difficult situation, fear of failure or rejection and many more.

Homeopathy comes into this picture with a unique recovery program for such kinds of anxieties. Its treatment procedure is individualistic, which means, it has a separate recovery therapy for separate anxiety disorders. In addition, treatment is purely natural with no side effects. Following are some homeopathic remedies of various kinds of anxiety disorders: 

1. Aconite: This is the best homeopathic remedy for anxiety symptoms such as agitation, restlessness, dry mouth, fear of mixing with people, panic attack, fear of death, fear of future or even certain agonized feeling related to some past traumatic incident. In such cases, the patient may sometimes become very violent also.
2. Argentum nitricum: This medicine comes into play in cases of extreme nervousness or apprehension of a person which turns him or her to be very much impulsive. The patient also becomes forgetful and dull always wearing a melancholy and grim face.
3. Arsenic Album: There are certain anxieties, which include fear of security and safety leading to anxiety about robbers, health or money. Consequently, they tend to feel insecure and always try to be neat and perfectionist to avoid such problems. Arsenic Album is very helpful in such cases.
4. Calcarea carbonica: People who suffer from a fear of change or losing hold of situation and are very stubborn and obstinate may take help of this medicine.
5. Gelsemium sempervirens: This is useful when the patient is suffering from muscle tensions, shaking of legs or knocking of knees due to performance anxiety.

In addition, Lycopodium clavatum, Kali arsenicosum, Kali Phosporicum, Phosporus are also very useful for anxieties. However, people should always consult a doctor before taking the medicines.

Boil water with 20 to 30 neem leaves in it and use this water for hair bath, this beauty tip is very useful in clearing dandruff problems.