Finding a lump on either breast is the biggest cause of concern for any woman. This is one of the most common characteristic signs of breast cancer. Making any woman stressed out on discovering a lump. Breast cancer is increasingly becoming a commonly found cancer but, not all lumps are cancerous. Lumps can appear on the breast tissue as a side effect of contraceptives or during menstruation. These lumps typically disappear on their own. When a lump on the breasts does not reduce but instead begins to grow larger, one must immediately consult a doctor.

Non-cancerous lumps on the breast are known as fibroadenoma. These are typically seen in women below the age of 30 years. Fibroadenoma can be described as firm lumps with well-defined contours. These may be very small in size and may move under the skin. However, they can be easily identified through a mammography or an ultrasound. Fibroadenoma rarely turns cancerous and can be treated without surgery with homeopathy.

Homeopathy is a holistic form of medication that does not treat only the symptoms exhibited but treats the root cause of the issue. It may be safely prescribed to women of all ages. A homeopathic remedy is dependent on the symptoms exhibited along with the patient s overall physical, mental, and emotional health. Thus, two women with similar lumps in their breasts may be prescribed different medication if one has a type-A personality while the other has a type-B personality. For this reason, it is important to remember that while homeopathy has negligible side effects, self-medicating might not have the best results. If you have noticed a lump on your breasts, you must consult a qualified homeopathic doctor to prescribe a remedy for you.

Homeopathic remedies not only reduce the lumps but will also keep them from recurring. These may be prescribed on their own or in a combination of two or more medicines. Homeopathy can be taken along with allopathic medicine as well. When taking these medicines, one must be careful of the dosage and the timing. Homeopathic medication must always be taken at least an hour before or after eating anything else. When it comes to homeopathy, progress may be slow. Hence, it is important to take the full course of medication and not change the dosage or medicine without the doctor s advice.


Breast Lumps - How Your Symptoms Define Your Line Of Treatment?

Skin cancer most often develops on skin that has faced sun exposure. At the same time, it can also affect skin areas that haven't been exposed to sun's rays. Do you know, skin cancer can be prevented by consuming some foods? Yes, and there are some out there:

1. Fatty fish - Including fatty fish in your diet can shield you against melanoma as they contain the beneficial nutrient Omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, these kinds of fatty acids are considered to be best for consumption as unlike saturated fats, they don't increase your risk for certain types of cancer. A study in the International Journal of Epidemiology reveals that individuals who consume a diet containing fish that is high in these healthy fats have low rates of this form of cancer.
2. Vegetables - This is another food option that is known to possess strong skin cancer-fighting properties. Dark leafy veggies like spinach, kale and broccoli can aid fighting against melanoma. A pigment found in tomatoes called lycopene has properties that guard you against cardiovascular diseases as well as cancers of all kinds. Similarly, the pigment carotenoids found in vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, etc are known to protect against sunburn.
3. Herbs - Including herbs in your diet can help in replenishing the minerals and vitamins that get depleted due to the action of the sun. According to experts, about 80% of your body's vitamin levels see a reduction when you stay under the sun for 30-45 minutes. Basil, parsley, and rosemary are a few of the herbs that possess cancer-fighting qualities.
4. Flaxseeds - The unique qualities of flaxseed make it the best option against skin cancer. It contains both antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids, making it an all-around solution to fighting skin cancer.

4 Foods That Help Fight Skin Cancer

Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. These abnormal cells do not carry out the functions of normal lung cells and do not develop into healthy lung tissue. As they grow, the abnormal cells can form tumors and interfere with the functioning of the lung, which provides oxygen to the body via the blood.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of death due to cancer in both men and women throughout the world. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, approximately one out of every 14 men and women in the U.S. is diagnosed with cancer of the lung at some point in their lifetime. Lung cancer is predominantly a disease of the elderly; almost 70% of people diagnosed with lung cancer are over 65 years of age, while less than 3% of lung cancers occur in people under 45 years of age.

What Causes Lung Cancer?

The development of lung cancer is strongly associated with cigarette smoking, approximately 90% of lung cancers are attributable to use of tobacco. Pipe and cigar smoking can also cause lung cancer, but the risk is not as high as with cigarette smoking. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, many of which are cancer causing (carcinogens). Passive smoking, i.e. the inhalation of tobacco smoke by non-smokers who live or work with smokers, is also an established risk factor for the development of lung cancer.

Genetic susceptibility (i.e. family history) may play a role in the development of lung cancer. Other causes of lung cancer include air pollution (from vehicles, industry, and power generation) and inhalation of asbestos fibres (usually in the workplace).

Lung Cancer Symptoms

Early symptoms and signs of lung cancer

There may be no symptoms at the onset of the disease. When present, common symptoms of lung cancer may include:

Coughing: This includes a persistent cough that doesn't go away or changes to a chronic smoker's cough, such as more coughing or pain.
Coughing up blood: Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm) should always be discussed with your doctor.
Breathing Difficulties: Shortness of breath, wheezing or noisy breathing (called stridor) may all be signs of lung cancer.
Loss of Appetite: Many cancers cause changes in appetite, which may lead to unintended weight loss.
Fatigue: It is common to feel weak or excessively tired.
Recurring infections: Recurring infections, like bronchitis or pneumonia, may be one of the signs of lung cancer.
Signs of advanced stages of lung cancer

Advanced stages of lung cancer are often characterized by the spread of cancer to distant sites in the body. This may affect the bones, liver or brain. As other parts of the body are affected, new lung cancer symptoms may develop, including:

Bone pain
Swelling of the face, arms or neck
Headaches, dizziness or limbs that become weak or numb
Jaundice
Lumps in the neck or collar-bone region
Treatment

Treatment for cancer involves a combination of surgery to remove cancer cells, chemotherapy and radiation therapy to kill cancer cells. Lung cancer is incurable unless complete surgical removal of the tumour cells can be achieved. Surgery is the most effective treatment for lung cancer, but only a few percentage of lung cancers are suitable for surgery i.e. Stage I and II NSCLC and cancer that has not spread beyond the lung.

Radiation therapy may be used for both NSCLC and SCLC and is a good option for people who are not suitable for surgery or who refuse surgery. Chemotherapy is used for both NSCLC and SCLC. Chemotherapy drugs may be given alone or in combination with surgery or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is the treatment of first choice for SCLC since it has usually spread extensively in the body by the time it has been diagnosed.

Also used in the treatment of lung cancer are targeted therapies. These are drugs (gefitinib and erlotinib) or antibodies (cetuximab, bevacizumab) that block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in tumor growth and progression. They are used in some patients with NSCLC that does not respond to standard chemotherapy.

Lung Cancer: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Does Viagra add to the risks of melanoma?

Melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer which develops in the skin cells that produce melanin ( the pigment that gives your skin its color). This form of skin cancer is mostly caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiations or it may be congenital in nature.

The cancer is easily detected by the naked eye and in 99% cases, the disease can be efficiently treated if detected during its early stages. Women below the 40 year age benchmark have a higher risk of cancer.

Viagra is a health supplement which is consumed in the oral form to minimize all the signs and symptoms of an erectile dysfunction. Viagra is the generic name for Sildenafil, which is used by men.

What does research say?

A medical study has shown that men who frequently use erection-enhancing drugs are 84% more likely to develop melanoma within a period of 10 years. This does not mean that you are bound to get this cancer if you are frequently using an erection enhancing drugs, but it might increase your probability of getting Melanoma.

Risk Factors

Viagra when combined with some other medicine often leads to adverse effects which might lead to cancer as well. It is always desirable that you consult your doctor before taking a Viagra in general. Some of the dangerous factors are:

1 Taking Viagra with nitrate drugs such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, and such others.
2 If you are experiencing an unreasonably high or low blood pressure
3 If you have any kind of a liver disease
4 If you are suffering from a kidney disease that requires dialysis (blood purification process)

Precautions

While taking Viagra, you should always consult a doctor near you. Additionally, you should also follow certain precautionary measures like:

  1. You should avoid buying Viagra online, as there is a high probability that it is fake
 2. You should try going for natural alternatives to Viagra. Studies have shown that the medicines with nitric oxide can help you in having a proper and enhanced erection. Additionally, medicines containing L-arginine are also very popular as they help in generating nitric oxide.



Does Viagra add to the risks of melanoma?


Feeling a lump on your breasts can be a terrifying moment. 'Cancer' is the first thing that comes to mind but in reality, most lumps in the breast are not caused by cancer. Apart from cancer, breast lumps can be caused by non-cancerous growths, injuries and infections. The only way to correctly diagnose the cause of a lump in the beasts is through a biopsy. Hence, this is the first step towards treating a breast lump. From here on, treatment will depend on the cause identified.

Mastitis or Breast Infection

Mastitis is a painful infection of the breast tissue often faced by women who are breastfeeding. It can be treated with heat treatment and antibiotics. Massaging the breast while taking a warm shower or applying a warm compress. This will open up the milk ducts and should be followed by nursing the baby or using a breast pump to relieve the swelling and pain.

Abscess

Antibiotics are the first line of treatment against an abscess but this is effective only if given in the initial stage of the infection. In later stages, an abscess will need to be surgically drained.

Fibroadenomas

This is a non-cancerous tumour often found in young women. It is often difficult to distinguish between a Fibroadenoma and a cancerous tumour and hence these are usually surgically removed.

Fibrocystic Changes

In some cases, the breast itself is composed of knotted, rope like tissue. This is known as having fibrocystic breasts. If a new lump presents itself on fibrocystic breasts, a mammogram and an ultrasound are performed to evaluate the lump. In most cases fibrocystic changes do not require any medication or surgery.

Breasts Cysts

Cysts can be defined as fluid filled lumps. In some cases, these cysts become apparent at the time of ovulation and disappear after the period. In other cases, it may need to be drained with a thin needle. Cysts often recur and need to be re-drained.

Fat Necrosis and Lipoma

Fat necrosis is a lump caused by an injury to the fatty tissue in the breast. Lipoma is a fatty growth within the fatty tissue. In both these cases, no treatment is required but if it causes any problems, it can be removed.

Breast Cancer

If the biopsy reveals the presence of a cancerous tumour, you must immediately consult an oncologist. Treatment options for breast cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and hormone treatment.

Treating Lumps and Pain in Breasts of Women

Cancer is the abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells in a particular body part. With continued growth, pieces of this tissue travel through the blood to different body parts and continue to grow in the new area. This is known as metastases. Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and affects about 1 in 8 women in the USA. Read on to know more details of breast cancer   breast anatomy, causes, symptoms, risk factors, detection, prevention, and of course treatment.

Anatomy: The main function of the breast is lactation through its milk-producing tissue that are connected to the nipple by narrow ducts. In addition, there is surrounding connective tissue, fibrous material, fat, nerves, blood vessels and lymphatic channels which complete the structure. This is essential to know as most breast cancers develop as small calcifications (hardened particles) in the ducts or as small lumps in the breast tissue which then continues to grow into cancer. The spread can happen through lymphatic or blood flow to other organs.

Warning signs/symptoms: The following are some symptoms that need to be watched out for if you have a predisposition to breast cancer.

    A lump in either of the breasts or armpits
    Change in size, shape, or contour of either breast
    Redness of your breast or nipple
    Discharge of clear or bloody fluid
    Thickening of breast tissue or skin that lasts through a period
    Altered look or feel of the skin on the breast or the nipple (dimpled, inflamed, scaly, or puckered)
    One area on the breast that looks very different from the other areas
    Hardened area under the breast skin

Either one or a combination of these should be an indication to get a detailed checkup done. Early diagnosis results in controlling the disease with minimal treatment and reduced complications.

Causes and risk factors: The exact cause for breast cancer is yet to be pinned down. However, risk factors are clearly identified, and women with risk factors need to watch out for warning signs.

    Family history: Of all the risk factors, the family history is the most important. Breast cancer runs in families, and if there is a first-degree relative with the breast cancer, the chances of developing it are almost double. Two genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the carriers of the disease, and this testing can be done in women to identify if they are at risk.
    Family history of other cancers: Even if there is no breast cancer, if there are other cancers that run in the family, watch out.
    Age: Women over 50 are at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
    Race: Caucasian and Jewish women are at higher risk of breast cancer than African-American women.
    Hormones: Greater exposure to the female hormone estrogen increases the chances of developing breast cancer. Women who use birth control pills for contraception and hormone replacement after menopause are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
    Gynecologic milestones: Women who have abnormal menstrual milestones need to watch out. These include those who attain menarche before 12 years of age, get pregnant after 30, attain menopause after 55, and have menstrual cycles shorter than 26 days or longer than 29 days.
    Obesity and alcohol abuse are also likely to increase a woman s chances of developing breast cancer.

Stages: Starting from stage 0, higher stages indicate advanced disease.

    Stage 0: The growth which has begun in the milk-producing tissue or the ducts has remained there (in situ) and not spread to any other area, including the rest of the breast.
    Stage I: The tissue slowly becomes invasive and has begun to affect the surrounding healthy tissue. It could have spread to the fatty breast tissue and some breast tissue may be found in the nearby lymph nodes.
    Stage II: The cancer at this stage grows considerably or spreads to other parts. There are chances that cancer may grow and also spread.
    Stage III: It may have spread to the bones or other organs but small amounts are present in up to 9 to 10 of the lymph nodes in the armpits and collar bones which makes it is difficult to fight.
    Stage IV: The cancer is widespread to far-flung areas like the liver, lungs, bones, and even the brain.

Screening: This is one of the most effective ways to identify the disease in its early stages. This will help in controlling cancer from spreading with minimal treatment.

    Self-examination: A thorough self-examination to look for changes in terms of shape, size, colour, contour, and firmness should be learned by all women. Watch for any discharge, sores, rashes, or swelling in the breasts, surrounding skin, and nipple. Examine them while standing and when lying down.
    In most women, annual screening mammograms are advised after the age of 40. However, in women who have a strong family history or genetic makeup, it is advisable to have screening mammograms starting at age 20 every 3 years and then annually from the age of 40.
    Women in high-risk categories should have screening mammograms every year and typically start at an earlier age.
    Ultrasound screening can also be given in addition to mammograms.
    Breast MRI is another way to screen for breast cancer if the risk is greater.

Breast Cancer Prevention: Now that there is so much awareness about causes and risk factors, there are definitely ways to prevent or delay the onset of the disease.

    Exercise and a healthy diet with reduced amount of alcohol are definitely effective in minimising the chances of developing cancer.
    Tamoxifen is used in women who are at high risk for breast cancer.
    Evista (raloxifene) which is used to treat osteoporosis after menopause. It is also widely used in preventing breast cancer.
    In high-risk women, breasts are surgically removed to prevent the development of cancer (preventive mastectomy).

Treatment: As with all cancers, treatment would depend on the stage at which it is identified and include a combination of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. As noted earlier, if you are at risk, look out for warning signs as early diagnosis is the key to maximum recovery.

Breast Cancer - Know More to Say 'No' More!

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