Ovarian Cancer, as the name suggests, is a cancer that affects the ovaries. It leads to the abnormal growth of cells, which eventually spreads over to other parts of a woman s body, such as the stomach, uterus and vagina. The risk of ovarian cancer is greater in women who have experienced the process of ovulation many times in their lifetime. It also includes those women who attain menopause at a much later stage in their lives or those who start ovulation at an early age. The different types of tumors, which develop in ovarian cells are more often than not, benign or non-cancerous and do not spread beyond the ovaries. 

Therefore, they can be easily treated by either removing a part or the whole of the ovary. But malign tumors have the ability to spread to other parts of the body and can prove to be fatal.

What are the causes of ovarian cancer

1. Family History: If someone in your close relation like mother, sister or daughter has developed ovarian cancer, then the risk of becoming susceptible to the disease also increases. If any of your close relatives have developed the disease earlier at a young age, then it s quite likely that it was due to some inherited faulty gene. BCRA1 and BCRA2 are known to be the faulty genes that are connected to ovarian cancer.

2. Age: You become more susceptible to developing ovarian cancer at a postmenopausal stage.

3. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Women who go for hormone replacement therapy put themselves at a greater risk of developing the disease. Nevertheless, if you stop undergoing the sessions of HRT, your risk of suffering from this fatal condition eventually decreases.

4. Obesity/overweight: This is also one of the important factors behind the increased risks of developing ovarian cancer. So, the more obese you are, greater is the risk involved.

What are the symptoms associated with ovarian cancer?

1. Symptoms at an initial stage include pelvic or abdominal pain, postmenopausal vaginal bleeding or irregular menstruation.

2. Loss of appetite or feeling full quickly

3. Other typical symptoms are diarrhea, constipation, nausea or changes in bowel movements.

4. Feeling of mass pressure at your lower back or pelvis

Treatment available for it

Treatment for ovarian cancer generally consists of a combination of surgery and chemotherapy:

1. Surgery: Treatment usually entails removal of the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes, including the surrounding lymph nodes as well as the fatty abdominal tissue, which often gets affected with ovarian cancer. This surgery may help you to retain the ability to conceive.

2. Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a procedure that follows a surgery and is performed to destroy the remaining cancer cells, if any. Chemotherapy drugs are either inserted into your vein or directly into the abdominal cavity and if need be, into both.

Ovarian Cancer - Are you at a risk?

Colorectal surgery is the broad term for surgical procedures performed on the colon, the rectum and the anus. There are various different surgical procedures which fall under colorectal surgery and these are used to treat a vast array of disorders, such as:
1. Anal cancer
2. Colorectal cancer
3. Severe complications related to constipation
4. Anal injuries
5. Inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract
6. Congenital defects

Procedures
The surgeries under colorectal surgery are performed after diagnostic tests such as proctoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and defecating proctography. The most common diagnostic test is colonoscopy. These help to identify the origin and nature of the problem and decide which surgical procedure is to be followed. The procedures under colorectal surgery are as follows:

Colectomy
This procedure involves removal of a section of the large intestine. This is known as partial colectomy. In extreme cases, such as advanced cancer or severe gastrointestinal infection, the entire colon is removed and this is called total colectomy. Sometimes, the rectum is also taken out along with the colon and this is called proctocolectomy.

Colonic polypectomy
An abnormal growth of tissues in the inner lining of an organ is known as a polyp. Colonic polypectomy is done to eliminate polyps from the colon and rectum before they become malignant. This can be done endoscopically. Surgery is required in case of large polyps.

Strictureplasty
Chronic or repeated bowel inflammation causes scar tissue to accumulate in the large intestine. This results in the narrowing of the colon. Stricturoplasty removes the scar tissue so that proper flow of digestive contents is resumed.

Colostomy or ileostomy
A damaged section of the colon is removed and the shortened intestine is then attached to another opening (stoma) in the anterior wall of the abdomen.

Hemorrhoidectomy
This surgical process is used for swollen hemorrhoids or blood vessels, which form in the anal canal. Hemorrhoidectomy is extremely effective in removing hemorrhoids, but the surgery also involves a number of complications.

Anoplasty
Anoplasty or imperforate anus correction is done to correct birth defects in the rectum and the anus. The structural flaw does not allow the stool to pass properly from the rectum and so it is repaired through surgery.

All About Colorectal Surgery

Even though Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among men and a lot of research has been conducted towards its understanding, it still remains one of the least talked about forms of cancer. This can lead to a lot of confusion and misinformation that gives rise to a number of myths associated with the disease. Some of the most common myths about prostate cancer are:

1. It occurs only in old men

Although the risk of developing prostate cancer does increase with age, especially after 60-65 years of age, it can develop at any age in a man s life. Ageing cells are more susceptible to mutations and hence more susceptible to cancer but other factors such as genetics, geographic location, overall health, lifestyle, etc. can play a major role in whether someone stands a chance to get prostate cancer.

2. It is a slow-growing cancer

Research has discovered 29 different types of prostate cancers, each of which behaves a little differently from others   some are very fast growing and aggressive while others are slower in developing. Prostate cancer also tends to be more aggressive in younger men than older men; aggressive cancers metastasize faster, i.e. spread to other parts of the body quicker and progress rapidly. Therefore, it is important not to ignore any initial symptoms and consult a doctor as quickly as possible to have the best shot at successful treatment.

3. You can t get prostate cancer if no one in your family had it

While having a family history of prostate cancer does significantly increase the risk of a man developing prostate cancer himself, it can also be diagnosed in men who have no genetic history or predisposition. It depends not only on genetics but also on a number of other factors which can contribute to prostate cancer.

4. If you don t have any symptoms, you don t have cancer

Prostate cancer is known to be one of the most asymptomatic forms of cancer and even when symptoms are present, they are very often misinterpreted as something else. The most common symptoms are: needing to urinate frequently, difficulty in urinating, blood in urine or semen, erectile dysfunction and pain in the pelvic area. Although all of these symptoms don t always mean cancer, it is best to go to the doctor in case you experience these symptoms.

5. Prostate cancer is inevitable   you can t prevent it

It is true that genetics, ethnicity and age do increase the risk of prostate cancer in men. However, research has shown that lifestyle changes such as avoiding red meat in your diet, regular exercise and preventing stress, do have an effect on the genes that regulate growth of tumours.

Hence, you should stop believing everything you hear or read on the internet, they may not always be true. Any symptoms out of the ordinary should be immediately checked out by your doctor. Do not ignore unusual symptoms   they might prove to be very costly later in life.

Prostate Cancer - 5 Most Prevalent Myths About It! 

Radiotherapy is a kind of treatment that kills the cancer cells by using high energy beams. Specialists use radiotherapy to treat a wide range of lung cancer. For early stage lung cancer, the radiotherapy may get rid of the cancer totally. For the small cell lung cancer you may have radiotherapy only. Then again you may have it with another treatment, for example, chemotherapy or surgery.

For small cell lung cancer, radiotherapy is used with or after chemotherapy. Chemotherapy makes the tumor in the lung shrink. You may have radiotherapy to your cerebrum, which tackles any cancer cells that may have spread to the brain. This is called prophylactic cranial illumination (PCI). In case of advanced lung cancer, the treatment contracts the tumor and controls it for a while. It additionally decreases symptoms like shortness of breath.

The types of radiotherapy used for the lungs include:

Outer radiotherapy: This kind of radiotherapy comes from a machine and is administered to the body through an external source. It depends on the kind of cancer and the progression of the same. You may have three radiotherapy sittings every day for around 12 days. This sort of radiotherapy is known as CHART ceaseless hyperfractionated quickened radiotherapy. A few people with small cell lung cancer may have treatment twice a day. If you are getting radiotherapy to control the side effects of lung cancer, you may have a single treatment or day by day medications for up to 3 weeks.



Inner radiotherapy: This is called brachytherapy or endobronchial treatment. This will be administered during a bronchoscopy. The radiation is given through a thin tube that the specialist puts inside your aviation route for a few of minutes. Specialists use this sort of treatment to shrink a tumor that is blocking or pushing your breathing track and making breathing troublesome for you.

These are some of the procedures that take place while you are having lung cancer radiotherapy:

Radiotherapy machines are enormous. The machines are fixed in one position or are sometimes ready to go around your body to give treatment from various angles.
Prior to your first treatment, your radiographers will clarify what you will hear and see. The treatment room normally have docks for you to connect to music players. So you can listen to your own choice of music.
You cannot feel radiotherapy when you really have the treatment. It takes anything from one second to a few minutes. It is essential to lie similarly situated every time, so the radiographers may take a short time to get you prepared.
Once you are in the right position, the staff will allow you to sit in the space for a couple of minutes. They watch you constantly on a closed circuit TV screen. They may request that you hold your breath or take shallow breaths during the treatment.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Radiotherapy For Lung Cancer!

Obesity can make life miserable. From unhealthy eating habits to unhealthy lifestyles and medical conditions, obesity can be an amalgamation of many factors. Obese people are a greater risk of suffering from many serious health complications like type-2 diabetes, mood swings, and depression, cardiac problems, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, to name a few. It does not stop there. More alarming is the fact that obese people are an increased risk of suffering from different types of cancer.

Bariatric surgery comes as a saviour for highly obese people (with a BMI over 40), who have tried every possible treatment under the sun to lose weight without any success. Bariatric surgery has helped many severely obese people attain a healthy weight. Bariatric surgery can be of three types;

Gastric bypass surgery (Roux-en-Y): This is one of the most common types of weight-loss surgery practised worldwide. The procedure involves rearranging (dividing) the stomach into a smaller upper pouch and a larger lower part. The smaller pouch is then connected to the small intestine. The food consumed will pass into the small intestine through the pouch. The idea is to rearrange the stomach in such a way that a person consumes a lesser quantity of food.
Gastric banding (Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band): In this procedure, the surgeon creates a small pouch at the upper part of the stomach by placing a band (lap band or A-band) around it. The pouch, true to its name, is used to hold the food consumed. The purpose of placing a band around the stomach (upper part) is to reduce the intake of food.
Sleeve Gastrectomy (Gastric Sleeve surgery): In Sleeve Gastrectomy, surgeons remove a large portion of the stomach, leaving behind only a small sleeve-like pouch (hence the name). Like the other two surgeries, sleeve gastrectomy also aids in limiting the consumption of food.
Duodenal switch: The fourth type of bariatric surgery, Duodenal switch with biliopancreatic diversion, is not very commonly used. Bariatric surgery has several health benefits. In addition to the weight loss, it plays a pivotal role in lowering the incidences of Type-2 Diabetes, depression, anxiety, coronary artery problems, sleep apnea cardiovascular diseases.
Research also suggest that bariatric surgery has been instrumental in reducing the chances of cancer (especially colon and breast cancer) by as much as 60%. The correlation between weight loss and reduced cancer instances is still a debatable topic. Some researchers and oncologists believe that the weight loss (bariatric surgery) brings about a hormonal modification which prevents the growth of tumour cells. Another study links obesity with an increased inflammation. In many cases, inflammation acts as a catalyst, accelerating the growth of cancer cells. Research is still going on to understand this correlation (obesity and reduced cancer rates) better.

Bariatric surgery has its share of risks and demerits. Consult your physician and get yourself thoroughly examined before opting for the surgery.

Does Bariatric Surgery Reduces The Risk Of Cancer?

The ovaries are mainly made up of 3 kinds of cells.... Most ovarian tumors are epithelial cell tumors. Germ cell tumors start from the cells that produce the eggs (ova). Stromal tumors start from structural tissue cells that hold the ovary together and produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Types:

The ovaries are made up of three types of cells. Each cell can develop into a different type of tumor:

-Epithelial tumors form in the layer of tissue on the outside of the ovaries. About 90 percent of ovarian cancers are epithelial tumors
-Stromal tumors grow in the hormone-producing cells. Seven percent of ovarian cancers are stromal tumors.
-Germ cell tumors develop in the egg-producing cells. Germ cell tumors are rare.

Causes:

Ovarian cancer happens when cells divide and multiply in an unregulated way. However, exactly why this happens is not clear.

The following risk factors are linked to a higher chance of developing the disease:

*Family history:
Women with close relatives who have had ovarian or breast cancer have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer, compared with other women. Genetic screening can determine whether somebody carries certain genes that are associated with an increased risk.

*Age:
Most cases of ovarian cancer occur after menopause, and especially in women aged over 63 years. It is rare before the age of 40 years.

*Reproductive history:
Women who have had one or more full-term pregnancies, especially before the age of 26 years, have a lower risk. The more pregnancies they have, the lower the risk.

*Breastfeeding may also decrease the risk.

-Birth control:
Using the contraceptive pill for at least 3 to 6 months appears to reduce the risk. The longer the pill is used, the lower the risk appears to be. Using an injectible contraceptive hormone, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA or Depo-Provera CI), especially for 3 years or more, reduces the risk further.

-Infertility or fertility treatment:
Fertility drugs have been linked to a higher risk of ovarian cancer, especially in women who used them for more than one year without becoming pregnant. Those who are infertile may also have a higher risk than those who are not, possible due to not carrying a pregnancy.

-Breast cancer:
Women who have received a diagnosis of breast cancer have a higher chance of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

For this reason, women who are diagnosed with breast cancer and who test positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene may opt to have an oophorectomy as preventive therapy.

Symptoms:

It s easy to overlook the early symptoms of ovarian cancer because they re similar to other common illnesses or they tend to come and go. The early symptoms include:

-abdominal bloating, pressure, and pain
-abnormal fullness after eating
-difficulty eating
-an increase in urination
-an increased urge to urinate

*Ovarian cancer can also cause other symptoms, such as:

-fatigue
-indigestion
-heartburn
-constipation
-back pain
-menstrual irregularities
-painful intercourse
-dermatomyositis (a rare inflammatory disease that can cause skin rash, muscle weakness, and inflamed muscles)

These symptoms may occur for any number of reasons. They aren t necessarily due to ovarian cancer. Many women have some of these problems at one time or another. These types of symptoms are often temporary and respond to simple treatments in most cases.

Again, cancers are best treated when detected early. Please consult with your doctor if you experience new and unusual symptoms.

The symptoms will persist if they re due to ovarian cancer. Symptoms usually become more severe as the tumor grows. By this time, the cancer has usually spread outside of the ovaries, making it much harder to treat effectively.

Diagnosis:

A doctor will carry out a pelvic examination and check for any palpable abnormalities in the uterus or ovaries. They will also check the patient's medical history and family history.

The following tests are used to help diagnose ovarian cancer:

-Blood tests: Checking for elevated levels of a marker called CA-125.

-Imaging tests: Transvaginal ultrasound, MRI, or a CT scan might be used.

-Laparoscopy: A laparoscope, a thin viewing tube with a camera at the end, is inserted through a small incision in the lower abdomen. This will allow the doctor to see the ovaries and, if necessary, to take a tissue sample

-Colonoscopy: If there is constipation or bleeding from the rectum, a colonoscopy may be needed, to examine the large intestine, or colon.

-Abdominal fluid aspiration: If the patient's abdomen is swollen, there may be a buildup of fluid, which can be examined by using a fine needle to remove some fluid through the abdomen.

-Biopsy: The usual way to diagnose ovarian cancer is to remove the tumor or part of the tumor to examine for the presence of cancer cells.

Role of Homeopathy In Ovarian:

Treatment of ovarian cancer has to be multi-way therapy. Its not either Homeopathy or conventional treatment. The best long-term results are achieved by combination therapy depending on age, stage of ovarian cancer and general health condition of patient. While conventional treatments like chemotherapy or radiation therapy helps in faster removal of cancer, Homeopathy Treatment for ovarian cancer can help in:

-Regression of ovarian cancer
-Prevention of recurrence of ovarian cancer,
-Removing side-effects of chemo and radiation therapy,
-Relieving cancer pains
-Improving general quality of life and hence, a better reaction to other treatments.

The speciality Homeopathic treatment for ovarian cancer, developed at Welling Clinics can be very helpful for those suffering from ovarian cancer.

Diet and non-diet:

There is no proven evidence regarding the cause of PCOD though gynaecologists are of the opinion that some females possess a predisposition to this disease, and it may run hereditarily in the family. You can alleviate your PCOD symptoms to a considerable extent by regulating your diet properly.

Have loads of fruits and green leafy vegetables and try to abstain from dairy products as many experts believe that dairy products are a direct cause of an increase in insulin levels, which can aggravate skin troubles along with other PCOD symptoms. Avoiding red meat and eating lean meat instead will help the condition and reduce the chances of infertility. It is always recommended to avoid hydrogenated and saturated fats, which are normally found in animal and dairy-based food. Try to put a stop to cheese, cottage cheese, clarified butter, pork, lamb, beef, etc. and certain baked products like cookies, cakes and fudges as they will trigger a rise in your blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

What Is Ovarian Cancer?

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