One of the things that Shannen Doherty and Rita Wilson, the wife of Tom Hanks, have in common, apart from their fame is that both were affected by breast cancer. No matter how normal a person may seem, breast cancer can strike anyone. In fact, it usually strikes one in eight women. So, it makes good sense to know what it can appear as!
Breast cancer makes up a rather big amount of the general cancer cases as 15% of the cancer cases which are reported on a yearly basis are usually breast cancer cases. That being said, there are quite a few things which can be done in order to reduce a person s risk to breast cancer.
Prevention is Prudent-
Get Fit: The first thing which should be done is that a reasonable level of fitness should be maintained. Many studies have found that if a person is significantly heavier than her recommended weight, she is at a far great risk to develop all sorts of cancer and breast cancer, in particular, than a person who is able to keep her weight in check. The difference in cancer risk rates is about 40%. This is because a greater amount of fat leads to more estrogen being produced, which increases the risk of breast cancer.
Quit Smoking: While most people associate smoking as something which increases the risk of cancer to the lungs and are not aware that it increases the risk of breast cancer, too. So, the best solution is to kick the habit!
Get Off the Pill: Once a woman crosses past her mid-thirties, she should try to avoid relying on birth control pills to reduce the risk of pregnancy. This is because these pills have an effect which increases the risk of breast cancer, which heightens as a woman gets older. As long as the woman cuts out the use of the pill, the risk quickly gets cut, as well.
Get Regular Check Ups: While screening for breast cancer by making use of mammograms does not cut the risk of it, the screening helps detect breast cancer early if it does exist. As a result, a woman has a much better chance of fighting breast cancer. So, a woman who is past the age of forty should try to have a mammogram on an annual basis with the frequency of the same increasing as she gets older. However, it is to be kept in mind that going for a mammogram too often is also not a good idea as the tests themselves pose risks of DNA changes.
Women all around the world are susceptible to breast cancer. While there isn t a 100% chance of avoiding it, taking care of yourself and leading a fit and active lifestyle can significantly cut down your risk of contracting this condition. Remember, your health is in your hands, so the earlier you start, the better! 

Tips To Prevent Breast Cancer!

Once the reality of the positive pregnancy test sets in, dreaming about the yet-to-arrive begins. Curiosity about gender, options for names, ways to manage, shopping ideas, etc., begin to get discussed. And then totally out of the blue the news comes that there is a miscarriage. This is one of the most depressing phases. It is very important for the family to be around and support each other. While the entire family is upset and hurt over the news, the mother needs most care as there is just not emotional but a huge physical component also to the episode. On the other hand, remember that miscarriages are extremely common, and is no indication of a fertility issue.

The first step would be to diagnose and confirm the miscarriage. After that, depending on whether it was complete or incomplete, some medical intervention might be required. In most cases, medications like misoprostol are given to expel the uterine contents. These help by clearing out the contents in about a couple of days' time. In some cases, a D and C might be required if your doctor suspects that medication will not suffice. This also helps identify if there is any issue in the uterus that could have caused the miscarriage.

While the above take care of the physical part, the emotional component also requires cautious management. Needless to say, this is trickier than the earlier one.

Mourn to your heart's content - When you have nursed a life within you and have lost it, it is very normal to cry for its loss. There would be a mix of emotions - shock, denial, confusion, anger, grief, depression, etc. Take some solace from that fact that this is nature's way of removing unhealthy fetuses.

Get someone to talk to - Need not be your husband, but anybody whom you can talk to without having to watch words. A sibling, a good friend, a close relative - your choice. Make sure you don't pick ones who will judge and sympathize with you. More than sympathy, you need someone understanding and knowledgeable.

Socialize more - As you would have kept to yourself post your positive test, use this time to socialize more and meet friends whom you have not regularly been in touch with. Close family members, your children (if you already have), society groups, movie groups, etc., help to a great extent.

Formal medical counseling: If you are not able to cope with your regular circle of family and friends, try seeking professional advice from counseling.

Spirituality - Whether you believe in temple or churches, spend some time there. Involve in some religious activity if you would like, this helps very often.

As much as it is painful and traumatic, it is not very uncommon or unnatural. Get back on your feet, the sooner you do, the better.

Miscarriage - Ways To Recover

A breast lump is a restricted swelling, projection, lump or knot in the breast that doesn't feel like a breast tissue. There are diverse reasons why breast lumps occur.

Not all lumps are cancer. These can also be breast conditions that are not harmful and which can be easily curable.Knots that feel harder or are not the same as the rest of the breast need to be checked. This kind of irregularity might be an indication of breast cancer.

A self-examination should be your starting point. This is how you can detect a lump on your own:

Step 1: Begin by taking a look at your breast in the mirror. Keep your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

This is what you need to search for:

    Breasts that are their typical size, shape, and shading
    Breasts that are uniformly formed without distortion or swelling

In the event that you see any of the changes mentioned below, convey them to your doctor:

    Dimpling, puckering, or protruding of the skin
    A nipple that is not in its initial position
    Redness, rash or swelling

Step 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the changes mentioned above.

Step 3: While you're in front of the mirror, search for any indications of liquid or blood discharge from the nipples.

Step 4: Next, examine your breasts while resting.Use Your right hand to feel your left breast and use your left hand to feel your right breast. Cover the whole breast from your collarbone to the highest point of your mid-region, and from your armpit to your cleavage to search for any lumps.

Step 5:Examine your breasts while either standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest approach to examine their breasts is when their skin is wet, so this step could be done while taking a bath as well.

Diagnosis:

    Mammogram: Mammography is a technique using X-rays to diagnose and locate tumours of the breasts.
    Breast ultrasound: Breast ultrasound utilises sound waves to create pictures of the breasts from the inside.
    Breast MRI:This involves using an effective and attractive field, and radio frequency pulses to create photos of the insides of the breasts.
    Ultrasound-guided biopsy: During this sort of biopsy, utilising ultrasound imaging to discover the bump, a radiologist will give you anesthesia and afterward insert a needle into the lump to evacuate some tissue for assessment under a magnifying lens. Stereotactic biopsy and an X-ray-guided biopsy may also be used.

Possible treatments:

    In case the knot turns out to be cancerous, surgery is typically performed.
    You may have a few discussions with different doctors for additional treatment, including radiation treatment and chemotherapy or hormone treatment.

What You Should Know About Breast Lump Detection

As much as you want to avoid, there are things you have no control over. Lung cancer (Bronchogenic Carcinomas) is one such nemesis that can throw life in shambles. The malignant tumor that originates in the lungs slowly spreads onto the other distinct and vital organs as well. Thought to be mostly affecting men who are chain smokers and into severe tobacco consumption, incidences of lung cancer in women are rising at an alarming rate over the past few years. Non-smokers may also be susceptible (to a lesser extent though) to lung cancer.

Lung cancer can be either

Non-small cell lung cancers: The NSCLC, accounting for ~85% of the lung cancer is one of the most common types of lung cancer affecting people, NSCLC may further be divided into
Adenocarcinoma: This type of NSCLC originates mostly in the peripheral regions of the lungs and may affect (spread) the lymph nodes. Non-smokers and women are mostly at the receiving end (other than the chain smokers).
Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Also known as Epidermoid Carcinoma, often affects men, epidermoid carcinoma may originate in the tissues that line the bronchial tubes. The lymph nodes are often affected by Epidermoid Carcinoma.
Large-cell Undifferentiated Carcinoma: The point of origin of large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma is the surface of the lungs. They have a higher probability of spreading to the lymph nodes.
Bronchioalveolar Carcinoma: Though rare, bronchioalveolar carcinoma originates close to the air sacs.
Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC, accounting for ~25% of the lung cancer): As the name suggests, SCLC is marked by the rapid proliferation of small cells into large malignant tumors. SCLC can move throughout the body (affecting vital organs).
Radiotherapy to treat Lung cancer:
Radiotherapy plays a pivotal role in the treatment of lung cancer. The radiation therapy is mainly of two types

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT)
Internal radiation therapy (Brachytherapy)
In external beam radiation therapy, high-energy rays are focused on the cancer cells (thereby resulting in the apoptosis of the cancer cells) externally, from outside the body. EBRT is particularly helpful in case of Non-small cell lung cancers.

The EBRT may be of the following types

3D-CRT (Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy): An advanced radiation therapy, 3D-CRT accurately marks the position of the cancer cells (using advanced computers). The treatment ensures minimum damage to the other healthy cells and tissues (energy rays are directed at the affected cells from different positions).
SBRT (Stereotactic body radiation therapy): This is a radiation therapy used in the treatment of NSCLC, when it is at a nascent stage.
IMRT (Intensity modulated radiation therapy): As the name suggests, in IMRT, the intensity of the radiation reaching the normal tissues and cells can be modulated. Like 3D-CRT, the radiation in IMRT is directed from different angles (for maximum results).
Internal radiation therapy (Brachytherapy): This type of radiation therapy is generally used to deal with lung cancers that tend to block the airways. In this therapy, the radiation process is carried out through a narrow tube, thereby, shrinking and collapsing the tumor.
The effect, dosage, and duration of radiation therapy depend on the stage and severity of the condition. In some cases, radiation therapy may be given together with chemotherapy.

Radiotherapy - Is It Beneficial For Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is caused by disorderly growth of uncommon cells which line the air passage, usually starting off in a single or both lungs. The irregular cells do not mature into healthy lung tissue but instead divide speedily and result in tumor formation.

Causes behind lung cancer:

Smoking: This is considered as the most significant source of lung cancer. As reported by multiple researches and studies, cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals, most of which are cancer causing agents. Active smoking is one of the major causes of lung cancer but what may come to you as a surprise is that extended periods of passive smoking is also a major factor.
Pollution and Exposure: There is high risk of lung cancer development when there is occupational exposure to pollution by chemicals released from industrial factories. Chemical exposure of this kind refers to prolonged exposure over quite few months or years. Some examples of these chemicals are asbestos, diesel exhaust among many others.
Radioactive Gas: Radioactive gases naturally occur in small masses present in all soils and rocks. However, if you breathe in radioactive gases your lungs will damage and may cause the development of abnormal tissue which can cause lung cancer.
Family history: A family history of cancer, especially lung cancer will also put you at high risk of developing lung cancer.
Treatment methods of lung cancer:

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a method in which drugs are injected through veins in your arm (intravenously) or orally or in a combination of both. These drugs kill cancer cells and help to stop it from spreading any further as well.
Clinical Trials: These trials are experimental lung cancer treatment studies. You may have to try out this clinical therapy if other treatment methods aren t working and only if you are accepted into it.
Surgery: A surgeon will help remove affected areas of the lung including cancerous tumors via surgery. The surgeon may need to remove parts of the lung along with the cancerous growth. In certain cases, one side of the lung may also be completely removed to stop the spread of the malignant tissue.
Radiation Therapy: This is a therapy where high energy electromagnetic waves are passed through your body to destroy cancer cells with the help of high-powered energy beams.
Can you prevent lung cancer?

Nutrition -- A  healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables may also help reduce your risk of lung cancer. Some evidence suggests that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may help protect against lung cancer in both smokers and non-smokers. But any positive effect of fruits and vegetables on lung cancer risk would be much less than the increased risk from smoking.
Exercise -- Even moderate amounts of exercise can aid in lung cancer prevention. Studies suggest that even something as simple as gardening twice a week is associated with a lower risk of developing lung cancer.
Smoking Habits -- If you stop smoking before a cancer develops, your damaged lung tissue gradually starts to repair itself. No matter what your age or how long you ve smoked, quitting may lower your risk of lung cancer and help you live longer. 
Avoidance of Air Pollution -- Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and, in particular, particulate matter with absorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other genotoxic chemicals has been suspected to increase the risk for lung cancer. So, avoid air pollution as much as possible.

Lung Cancer - Ways You Can Prevent It!

Lasers have come as a boon to treat many medical conditions very safely and effectively. They are absolutely indispensable for permanent hair removal, tattoo removal, freckle removal, skin rejuvenation, treatment of birthmarks and many other internal medical conditions. There is a common misconception that lasers are harmful for your skin and can cause skin cancers. This is far from the truth, since lasers are actually used to treat skin cancers and also help in keeping the skin youthful and rejuvenated. 

Lasers use non-ionising light (like red or green light) and not ionising radiation like x-rays or gamma rays. These spectrums of light do not induce cancer formation. 
Fair skinned races are at much greater risk than skin of color. Melanin in darker skin does not allow harmful UV light in sunlight to penetrate through and the risk of skin cancers in darker skin is therefore small with normal sun exposure. Also, common lasers do not use UV light. 
Laser treatments are administered not in prolonged durations but in pulses much less than a second and parameters in the range of milliseconds and microseconds are most commonly used. Prolonged sun exposure is the most common precipitating factor for skin cancers. 
Laser light does not reach any internal organ. In fact, it requires some expertise even to make laser light reach its target just 1-2 millimeters below the skin. This is because melanin pigment in skin blocks laser light from getting through. An expert dermatologist with sound knowledge of skin optics and laser physics is able to achieve this safely and effectively. 
Laser treatments work on the principle of ''selective photothermolysis'. This means that laser light very specifically destroys only the intended target. Thus, a hair removal laser will destroy only the hair roots while leaving surrounding skin structures unharmed. Similarly, blood vessels in birth marks, collagen in wrinkles or scars, abnormal growths and cancers and individual inks in tattoos can be targeted very specifically with lasers without affecting any other structure.

Lasers - Do Not Cause Cancers!

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