Uterine cancer is also known as endometrial cancer. It is a cancer which begins in the lining of the uterus. The uterus is the part of a woman's body where the fetus develops. Uterine cancer is one of those rare cancers in India, which can be diagnosed in its early stages. This is because excessive vaginal bleeding occurs, thus making it a very serious and an apparent symptom. It is also one of the few forms of cancer which can be cured as removing the uterus is often more than enough to cure the patient of uterine cancer.

Here are the causes, diagnosis and treatment of uterine cancer:

Causes

The exact cause of uterine cancer is not yet known, however, there is a theory on what causes uterine cancer. Hormones in a woman's body have been thought to increase the chances of getting uterine cancer. This is because it has long been thought that having high levels of estrogen is the cause of uterine cancer. Increased estrogen thickens the endometrium and thus, increases the likelihood of uterine cancer.

Diagnosis

There are several tests used to diagnose whether you have uterine cancer including:

1. Pelvic exam: This is an examination in which the vagina, bladder, rectum and uterus are scanned for lumps. If they are found, it might be due to uterine cancer.
2. Pap test: A pap test is a special test designed to scan for uterine cancer.
3. Transvaginal ultrasound: A transvaginal ultrasound uses high-intensity sound waves so that pictures of the uterus can be taken.
4. Biopsy: During a biopsy, the doctor will remove tissue from the endometrium and it will then be analyzed for cancerous growths.

Treatment

1. Surgery: This is the most common treatment as it removes the entire uterus and prevents the spreading of the cancer.
2. Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy involves giving drugs which kill cancerous cells. They are given through either an intravenous line or even in pill form.
3. Hormone therapy: This is a therapy in which either progesterone levels are increased or estrogen levels are decreased.
4. Radiation therapy: In this treatment, high energy laser beams are used to destroy cancerous cells.

Uterine Cancer - Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

We have more than 200 bones in our body and each of them is susceptible to bone cancer. However, long bones in the arms and legs are most susceptible to this condition. Bone cancer can be primary or secondary. Primary bone cancer involves uncontrolled and abnormal cell division within the bones while secondary bone cancer refers to cancer that originated somewhere else in the body and later spread to the bones. While children and adults are equally at risk for primary bone cancer, adults and elderly people are more susceptible to secondary bone cancer. If diagnosed early enough, bone cancer can be treated and even cured with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. 

Hence it is essential to recognize the signs and symptoms of bone cancer. Here s what you should look out for.

Pain in Bones: Pain is one the primary symptoms of bone cancer. As the tumour grows larger, this pain can become more intense. In its early stages, the pain may be experienced as a dull ache inside the bone or the affected part of the body. It may also increase or decrease according to your activity level or may be experienced only at night. However, not all bone pains signify  cancer  as this is also a symptom associated with osteoporosis.
Swelling: In some cases, the abnormal growth of bone cells can result in the formation of a lump of mass that may be felt through the skin. In other cases, the affected area may also show signs of swelling.
Breaking of the Bone: Cancer can weaken the bones and make them more brittle. This may make the bones more susceptible to fractures. A bone breaking in an area that has been painful or sore for a long period of time may be a sign of cancer. This is known as a pathologic fracture.
Reduced Flexibility: If the tumour is located near a joint, it may affect the range of movements possible and make simple actions uncomfortable. For example, a tumour around the knee may make walking and climbing stairs a painful exercise.
Other symptoms to look out for are sudden and drastic weight loss, tiredness, excessive sweating at night, fever and difficulty breathing in case cancer has spread to other organs. Since many of these symptoms are common to other medical disorders, you should conduct a doctor immediately if you notice any of them. A physical examination and a couple of tests along with a biopsy will be required to confirm a diagnosis of bone cancer.

Bone Cancer - 4 Signs You are Suffering from it!

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:

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

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

    Feeling of sitting on a ball
    Abnormal vaginal bleeding
    Increase in discharge
    Problems while performing sexual intercourse
    Seeing the uterus coming out of the vagina
    A pulling or full feeling in the pelvis
    Constipation
    Bladder infections

Nonsurgical medications include:

    Losing weight and getting in shape to take stress off of pelvic structures
    Maintaining a distance from truly difficult work
    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.
    Taking estrogen treatment especially during menopause
    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
    Indulging in normal physical activity

Some specialists use the following methods to diagnose the problem:

    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.
    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.
    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.

Uterine Prolapse: Risks, Symptoms and Diagnosis

Peripheral arterial disease or commonly known as PAD is a common cardiovascular disease. Despite having the power to cause painful symptoms and severe health risks, it is overlooked by many. This particular arterial disease may lead to life-threatening consequences if left untreated for long. Read on to know more about the condition.

What is PAD?
PAD refers to the situation where in the peripheral arteries to the arms, head, stomach, and legs become narrow. Often referred to as the peripheral vascular disease, here, the arteries start to grow narrower due to the slow but constant buildup of fatty deposits on the artery walls. Though it can affect all the arteries in a person s body, except those that supply blood to the heart, in the majority of cases, it affects the arteries in the leg.

What are the threats it poses?
PAD is indeed a life-threatening disease, as the blockages, it creates in the peripheral arteries prevent normal blood circulation to the different organs, legs, and brain. And when the blood flow is restricted, or the vital organs of the body fail to receive necessary blood flow, then the legs, brain and all the vital organs suffer severe damage. And when PAD continues to harm the blood flow for a long time, then it leads to tissue infection or tissue death, which is known as gangrene.

Additional health issues it causes
PAD also creates various other health concerns, such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease of fatty materials  build up. In the case of atherosclerosis, the entire blood circulatory system gets damaged, including the arteries leading to the heart. The risk of blood clot build ups and vascular inflammation are also common additional threats posed by the fatty deposits.

Probable symptoms
Depending on the part of the body that is affected, the PAD symptoms vary from one to another. However, painful cramping in the muscles of one s legs is the most common symptom of this condition. The pain, originating in the legs often goes up to the muscles in the thighs or hips too. Except this, weakness or numbness in the legs, ulcers or open sores on the feet or legs, skin color changing into bluish or pale are some of the other symptoms of PAD.

Possible treatments
The peripheral arterial disease can be diagnosed easily, painlessly and straightforwardly under proper medical attention. Both prescribed medications and a lifestyle change are considered to be the best treatment for controlling PAD. Including a healthy diet and adopting a healthy lifestyle have often been successful in preventing PAD in its early stage.

The moment any signs or symptoms of PAD is noticed one should not be late in seeking immediate medical attention.

Peripheral Arterial Disease- A Serious Threat To Life Worth Being Concerned About!

The human skull is composed of several plates and pieces of bones. The roof of the skull is the top of your head. The base of the skull is, however, a complex area. It consists of 5 bones. These bones are also linked to your eye socket, the cavity of the nose, the sinuses and the bones of the inner ear. Surgery through the skull base can be quite complicated as quite a few nerves, blood vessels and opening of the spinal cord pass through this region.

When does Endoscopic Skull Based Surgery become necessary?
An endoscopic skull based surgery is performed to remove tumours of the brain. The tumour might be benign or malignant - this procedure is effective against both. This surgery can also be performed to cure any abnormality on the underside of the brain, the upper vertebrae of the spinal cord or the base of the skull.

Other conditions that may necessitate an endoscopic skull base surgery are -
  Cysts in the brain
  Swelling caused by infections
  Pituitary tumours
  Meningioma
  Chordomas
  Trigeminal neuralgia
  Cerebrospinal fluid fistulas
  Cerebral aneurysm

What to expect during this Surgery?
Since the base of the skull is a complicated region, surgery requires a delicate approach. That is why endoscopy is used. It is a minimally invasive procedure.
Right before the surgery, you will be put under general anaesthesia. Your skull has two natural openings- the nose and the mouth. Usually, the surgeon inserts the minute surgical instruments through the nose or the mouth. Sometimes, a tiny hole is drilled right above the eyebrows. A tiny camera mounted on a lighted tube will be led into your brain through the cavity that will send a live feed from the inside. This will direct the surgeons who will gently remove the growth or fix the abnormalities.
A team of doctors with different specializations such as ENT, radiology, neurosurgery come together to perform this surgery.

Complementary Procedures -
Depending on the kind of tumour being removed or the stage it was detected in, you might have to undergo any of the following in addition to endoscopic surgery-
  Chemotherapy
  Radiation
  Particle Therapy
  Proton Beam Therapy

Post Surgery Care -
After the surgery, you will have to stay in the clinic or hospital for a number of days where your progress will be constantly monitored. You will require therapy and undergo MRI scans.
Endoscopic skull base surgery is very effective in dealing with tumours and abnormalities of the brain or the upper spinal cord. Keep your family and friends around you during the recovery phase as their love and support will help you get back to your normal lifestyle in no time.

Know More About Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery Through Brain!

Minimally invasive spinal surgery is a quicker and safer alternative to open surgery. The spinal discs, vertebrae and nerves are present deep inside the body. A small incision is made and the surgical instruments and a camera is inserted which push aside the muscles and reach the problem area.

Which medical conditions can be addressed with minimally invasive spine surgery?

1. Degenerative Disc Disease (osteoarthritis of the spine)
2. Herniated Disc (the disc protrudes from its right place)
3. Spinal Tumours
4. Vertebral compression fractures (collapse of the vertebra)
5. Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the space near the spinal cord)
6. Scoliosis (the spine curves sideways)
7. Spinal infections
8. Spinal instability

What are the goals of minimally invasive spine surgery?

1. Decompression: this procedure eases the pressure being exerted on the spinal cord or the nerve roots. This pressure can be the cause of pinched nerves.
2. Stabilization: sometimes, a segment of the spinal cord that has come loose can be the source of pain. A stabilizations surgery fuses the segment to the rest of the structure.



The three most common methods of minimally invasive spine surgery are-

1. Tubular: it is also called  muscle splitting  surgery. A tubular retractor passes through the muscles of the back and reaches the spine.
2. Mini-open: it is a lot like open surgery but with fewer risks and blood loss. The possibility of post-operation infection goes down significantly.
3. Endoscopic: it is also called a keyhole surgery. A small camera is introduced through a small incision and guided to the spine. The camera gives an internal view of the spine to the doctors.

The three types of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery are-

1. Microdiscectomy: involves the removal of the intervertebral disc that is putting pressure on the spinal cord.
2. Foraminotomy: spinal conditions can lead to narrowed foramen (the area where the spinal nerve exits the spine). The aim of the surgery is to expand the foramen.
3. Microlaminectomy: this is yet another type of decompression surgery. The aim is to relieve pain caused pinched nerves or a segment of the bone pressing down on the nerves.

What are the benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery?

  Speedy and pain-free recovery after surgery
  A patient is discharged the same day
  Very little loss of blood
  Reduced chances of infection
  Less scarring because the operation is done through small incisions
  Less muscle damage

Are there any risks attached to minimally invasive spine surgery?

No surgery is free of risks or side effects. Some common problems in the aftermath of minimally invasive spine surgery are-

  Allergies
  Reaction to anaesthesia
  Blood clots
  Infections
  In rare cases stroke and paralysis.

Minimally invasive spinal surgery incorporates the latest advances in the world of technology. It is the relatively hassle-free procedure and convenient for both doctors and patients.

Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery - A Safer Alternative To Open Surgery!

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