Breast Cancer Tips

Cancer is the most dreaded disease of our times. There are many different types of cancer depending on the organ it originates from. Some of the most common types of cancer include breast cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and skin cancer. Cancer can affect men, women, and children of all ages. The exact cause of cancer is unknown and though there are many things one can do to reduce the risk of cancer, it cannot be completely prevented. Advancements in modern medicine have helped a relief for many types of cancer. Though homeopathy is said to have no side effects, but it is important not to self-medicate and to follow the doctor’s prescription. 

On the other hand, homeopathy can help treat cancer without as many side effects. This is because all homeopathic remedies are made from plant, animal, or mineral matter. Homeopathy is a holistic form of medication that addresses and cures the root cause of the issue. This form of medication is dependent on the symptoms being exhibited as well as the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Two patients suffering from the same types of cancer may be prescribed different medications based on their physical structure and emotional state. Thus, a homeopathic remedy must always be customized for a patient. Homeopathy can be prescribed for children and adults of all ages and can be beneficial to the treatment of various types of cancer at varying stages.

Homeopathy is often used alongside other forms of therapy for cancer. This form of the medication does not interfere with other drugs being taken, radiation, chemotherapy etc. Given the serious aggressive nature of most types of cancer, homeopathy is not usually advised as a standalone form of treatment. Along with treating the cancerous cells, homeopathy can also help relieve secondary symptoms. For example, it can help reduce stress, pain, fatigue, nausea etc. It can also help deal with the side effects of other forms of treatment.

When taking homeopathic medication, it is important to remember that the treatment works slowly. Hence, patience is a must. Stopping treatment midway will not have any side effects but will not do the person any good either. Similarly, changing medication or the dosage of a medicine will not always help. Though homeopathy is said to have no side effects, very high doses can sometimes have side effects. Thus, it is important not to self-medicate and to follow the doctor’s prescription.

Breast cancer is most common cancer in women but can occur in men as well. It follows the same path as any other cancer, the cells start growing at an alarming rate and can even spread to other parts of the body. These cells form a cluster or a lump inside the breast and it’s usually a noticeable lump. Breast cancers can originate at any part of the breast or the arm pit.

Breast cancer does not always mean there will be a lump though, sometimes it can be detected through a screening mammogram, especially, programmed to detect cancers at an early stage even before the symptoms start to show or can be felt. 

Yet there are a lot of telling signs of breast cancer that might go unnoticed by the untrained eye, so for your benefit, here are some questions that you should ask yourself: 

1. Does your nipple/breast feel unusual? Signs of this include; 

   • Lump near the nipple or anywhere in the breast or underarm area 

   • Soreness near the nipple area involving skin irritation, rashes and redness 

   • “orange peel texture”, when your breast feels like the texture of an orange peel,

2. Does your nipple/breast look unusual? Signs of this include; 

   • uneven breasts, where one side is more swollen or has shrivelled 

   • your nipple might be turning inwards or looks inverted 

   • small indentations or dimpling of the breast 

   • colour of the nipple might change due to inflammation and redness 

3. Is there any discharge from your nipple? If you see your nipple discharging fluids and you are not lactating then check the colour of the discharge. It could be bloody, clear liquid or a yellow discharge. 

4. Are the veins in your breasts prominent? If the veins in your breasts have become visible and easily noticeable then it is a sign that you should get checked for breast cancer. 

Though breast cancer is a deadly disease, breast cancer detected at an early stage is often curable. In our country, one of eight women is suffering from this breast cancer.

Breast cancer note often presents as a small lump in the breast which can be detected by various methods by increasing the awareness of methods of detection.

The most easiest and most important way of detection is self breast examination. Self breast examination is a simple and easy exam that one can do themselves. To make it simple, it's just looking for any changes in nipple or architecture of breast and axilla. If any lump or nipple discharge is present, then consulting an oncologist and get a mammography done to identify the lesion is one of the easiest and practical things in detecting breast cancer.

The detection of early breast cancer can provide an opportunity to improve the breast conservation rate and cure the disease.

What do Sheryl Crow, Kylie Minogue and Angelina Jolie have in common; they are all breast cancer survivors. Being diagnosed with cancer is a scary thought but it should come as a relief that many types of cancer can be cured, breast cancer being one of them. However, this depends largely on the stage of diagnosis. Hence, it is essential to understand and recognize the symptoms of this disease.

Breast cancer can affect men and women. However, it is more common amongst women. A lump in the breast is usually the first sign of breast cancer. This may feel like a small pea or make part of the breast tissue denser thereby changing the contours of the breast. Some people may also notice a clear discharge from the nipple. This can be easily felt during a routine breast examination at home. If you feel something along these lines, you must consult a doctor immediately.

Along with a physical examination, your doctor may ask for a biopsy of the breast tissue, blood tests, X rays etc to determine a breast cancer diagnosis. If you do have breast cancer, these tests will also help the doctor find out what stage the cancer is at. There are 4 stages of breast cancer:

1. Stage I: From this level onwards, the cancer is said to be invasive. In Stage IA the cancer cells spread to the fatty tissue while in stage IB, a few cancer cells can also be seen in a few lymph nodes.
2. Stage II: In stage IIA, a small tumor may be seen in the breast. In Stage IIB this tumour may be as big as a walnut. Cancer may or may not affect the lymph nodes at this stage.
3. Stage III: At this stage, cancer is considered to be in its advanced stage and is harder to treat. In Stage IIIA cancer cells can be found in up to 9 lymph nodes around the breast. In Stage IIIB the tumour advances into the chest wall and skin surrounding the breast. In Stage IIIC more than 10 lymph nodes may be affected.
4. Stage IV: This is also known as the Metastatic stage. In this stage, the cancer cells would have spread beyond the breasts and lymph nodes. Common organs to be affected are the lungs, brain, bones and liver.

Treatment for breast cancer depends on many factors including the type of cancer, the speed at which it is growing, the stage of diagnosis and the patient’s overall health.

Breast cancer is a very common form of cancer that develops in the cells of your breast. Cancer typically forms in either the ducts of your breast (the pathway through which milk reaches the nipples from the glands) or the lobules (the glands which produce milk).

Breast cancer can affect both males and females. However, it is more commonly observed in women aged between 45-55 years.

Look out for these symptoms!
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer include the following-

1. Discharge of blood from the nipples
2. A lump near the breast or the armpit
3. Scaling or peeling of skin around the breasts
4. Sore nipple
5. Breast pain
6. Swelling of lymph nodes in the armpit or on the neck
7. Change in the shape and size of the nipple or the breast
8. An inverted nipple

What are the risk factors?

1. Age- Breast cancer usually strikes at an older age. Women aged over 55 years are most often diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.
2. Family history- If you have someone in your family who’ve had a history of breast cancer, then you too may develop this disease later in life.
3. Inherited genes- Mutation of certain genes- BRCA1 and BRCA2- can put you at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
4. Obesity- People with Body Mass Index (BMI) higher than or equal to 30 are at risk of developing breast cancer.
5. Alcohol consumption- Aggressive or frequent alcohol consumption can make you prone to breast cancer.
6. Early menstruation- Those who’ve had their first menstrual cycle before the age of 12, are more likely to get affected by breast cancer in the later stage.
7. Postmenopausal therapy- Women undergoing hormonal therapy or medications combining progesterone and estrogen to treat menopause have a greater risk of having breast cancer.

What is the treatment for breast cancer?
After a thorough evaluation of your overall health condition, your doctor will determine the options to treat your breast cancer depending on the type, size and stage of the cancer. The usual methods of curing breast cancer are-

1. Lumpectomy- This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure whereby smaller tumors are removed from the lumps of your breast. Your doctor will only remove a portion of the cancerous lump, leaving the remaining portion of the breast intact. This allows for better symmetry of your breast. However, you may need to undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy following a lumpectomy to make sure that all the cancer cells are destroyed.
2. Mastectomy- This surgical procedure is performed to remove all of the breast tissues including the ducts, lobules, nipples and areola.
3. Sentinel Node Biopsy- In order to determine whether or not cancer has metastasized to other body parts including the lymph nodes, your doctor will first discuss with you the importance of removing the lymph nodes which are likely to be in the receipt of the lymph drainage from the tumor.
4. Breast removal- In certain cases where people have a greater risk of developing breast cancer due to family history or genetic susceptibility, removal of both breasts are prescribed by doctors.

The rate of survival for breast cancer has increased in recent times owing to modern treatment techniques. Nearly 90% of breast cancer patients survive for at least 5 years after the treatment is done.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women about 1 in 8 women in the USA  develop invasive breast cancer. The incidence of breast cancer has increased with changes in lifestyle including smoking, drinking and loss of physical activity. The risk factors are age, ethnicity and family history cannot be changed. However, there are some risk factors that can definitely be acted upon to reduce the chances of developing breast cancer.

1. Weight management: Obesity is one of the major risk factors for breast cancer and managing weight and a good body mass index will help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. This is especially important in women undergoing menopause.
2. Reducing smoking: The benefits of quitting are manifold and reducing the risk of breast cancer is one of them. This will, as a byproduct, also result in a host of other benefits including improved quality of life, reduced chances of heart disease, stroke, and other cancers.
3. Physical activity: In addition to helping in weight management, this also helps reduce the risk of breast cancer. The ideal recommendation is 30 minutes of physical activity per day, plus strength training.
4. Breastfeeding: This helps in reducing the risk of breast cancer. Prolonged feeding is shown to have a greater protective benefit.
5. Hormone replacement therapy: When possible, limit the use of hormone replacement therapy for prolonged periods of time. Explore options of non-hormonal substitutes or use the least permissible or required dose. Be sure to get periodic check-ups when on hormone therapy.
6. Reduce exposure to environmental pollution: Higher levels of pollutants are linked to a higher incidence of breast cancer. When possible, avoid getting exposure to environmental pollutants.
7. Screening: If there is a strong family history or other risk factors, then screening can help detect breast cancer very early in the process. Recommended ages for mammography are as follows:
   • If you are age 40 – 44: Go for annual mammograms after discussing risks and benefits with the doctor.
   • If you are age 45 – 54: Go for annual mammogram.
   • If you are age 55 or over: Mammograms are recommended every other year. You can choose to continue to have them every year. Self-breast exams are not sufficient. However, if being done, they can also be an input to an abnormality.
8. Cautious use of birth control pills: Birth control pill usage to be discussed with your gynaecologist if you are above 35 years of age and smoke. The good news is that the risk associated with it disappears slowly after the pill is stopped.

These will help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, early detection, and improved prognosis.

The presence of a lump or a tumor in the breast is not always indicative of breast cancer. In some instances, the breast tumor can be benign or noncancerous as well. Thus, to understand breast cancer better, one should know the difference between a benign and malignant breast tumor. In this article, we will discuss the factors that differentiate a benign breast tumor from a malignant one.

Breast Fibroadenomas

1. Breast Fibroadenomas are benign breast tumors that often affect women in their early 20s and 30s (can also affect women of other age groups). Research suggests that in spite of being benign and noncancerous, breast fibroadenomas make a woman more susceptible to breast cancer in the future.
2. It may be difficult to decipher the underlying factor that triggers fibroadenomas. However, increased use of birth control pills (that results in an elevated estrogen level) can be a contributing factor.
3. Thus, in spite of no discomfort, it is safe to get fibroadenomas removed by lumpectomy or by radiation therapy. There are also instances when fibroadenomas dissolved on their own.
4. Sometimes, the lobules of the breast can undergo enlargement resulting in the formation of lumps (can be a tumor or a cyst) that are non-cancerous in nature. Such tumors are known as Adenosis.
5. The benign tumor growth can also develop in the milk ducts of the nipples, a condition known as Intraductal papillomas (characterized by discharge from the nipples).
6. To stay safe and lower the risk of breast cancer, doctors often recommend the removal of the tumor.

Differences between Benign and Malignant Breast Tumors

1. One of the major factors resulting in a tumor is the abnormal growth of cells that could be triggered by an injury, infection or prolonged inflammation.
2. A factor that plays a pivotal role in differentiating malignant from benign breast lumps or tumors is its ability to metastasize or invade other organs, cells and tissues of the body.
3. A malignant tumor starts off as a primary tumor that remains confined within its point of origin. Gradually, the cancerous growth metastasizes, invading other neighbouring as well as distant cells and body organs (Secondary cancer or tumor).
4. Benign tumors, on the other hand, contains chemical adhesions that prevent their metastasis and invasion to the other vital organs in the body.
5. As compared to malignant tumors, benign breast tumors, once removed, do not recur.
6. On the cellular level, microscopic examination reveals that malignant breast tumors often contain unusual, mutated, and modified genes and chromosomes.
7. More than often, malignant breast tumors give rise to Paraneoplastic Syndrome. The Paraneoplastic Syndrome is characterized by elevated production of substances (can be antibodies or hormones) by the cancerous growths or tumors. The hormones or the antibodies circulate in the bloodstream and can alter the functioning of a host of vital body tissues and organs with deleterious health consequences.

Such things seldom take place in the case of benign breast tumors.

Breasts are glandular secreting organs with 15 -20 lobes with ducts opening in the nipple to secret milk. Breast tumours usually arise from the cells of milk sacs. There are certain signs which shouldn't be ignored to prevent and cure cases of breast cancer namely, pain, lump, hardness in lump, bleeding, red spots, boils, puckering and skin lesions. The swelling on axillary lymph nodes should also be considered as a factor. If uncontrolled, it spreads to bones too.

Long term usage of estrogen hormone has got some footing in being a cause of breast cancer but the exact cause is unknown. Allopathy offers the trinity of RCS (radiation, chemotherapy and surgery) as an option that has got it's own pros and cons.

Homeopathy if combined with cupping therapy can work wonders in curing breast cancers if detected early.

Homeopathy offers around 30 core and 50 supportive medicines for the malady. The homeopathic medicines sought to work as constitutional, general or localized, drainage or detox, an antidote to chemotherapy side effects and immuno-booster.

Some of the medicines that are very effective are apis mellifica, arsenic iod, asteris rubens, baryta iod, belladonna, bellis p, bromium, bryonia, bufo r, calcarea flourica, carbo animalis, carbolicum acidicum, carsinosin, chimaphila u, condurango, conium m, heckla lava, hoang man, hydrastis c, kalium muraticum, calcarea phosphorica, lachesis, phytolacca d, scorphularia n, silicea, tarentula c, thyroidinum, tuberculinum, curcuma longa and hydrastis.

This, when combined with cupping therapy or wet hijamah therapy, has proven to be better than anything else.

Medical science constantly challenges the boundaries by finding not only the cures to the most dangerous diseases, but finds a way to prevent them even before they occur. With years of research, practice and data available for analysis, scientists are using advanced technology in combination with years of research to create a predicting mechanism for often fatal diseases like cancer.

Breast cancer screening has always been done with mammography. The fact is that this method is only 75% accurate, laden with false positives and misses a whole set of women totally- and that too when cancer has already developed. Part of the problem comes from the dense breast tissue which one in three women have. This tissue masks the lumps, which makes it difficult for mammograms to accurately screen cancer.

Some breakthrough scientific methods are changing this by drawing on years of research to predict this deadly disease, years before it can manifest itself.

- A genetic test to predict cancer 10-11 years ahead of time

This test was performed to see how environmental factors could influence cancer, along with habits like smoking, abusing alcohol or hormones, genetic changes that occur and are put a large percentage of the women at a high risk of developing this disease.

A simple blood test is used for the genetic analysis of hereditary cancer. Researchers found a biological marker, methylation of the ATM gene, which has a very high ability to predict the risk of developing cancer, several years before diagnosis. 'Methylation' concluded that when one biological indicator is exposed to carcinogenic substances, or other abusive substances like tobacco and alcohol, it may trigger the development of cancer.  On the flip side, this test will take time to reach the commercial market and even then cannot give an exact timeline as to when someone may develop the disease.

- A simple blood test to predict breast cancer 5 years before it develops

This is the kind of medical miracle the world is looking for. Last year in April, researches in Denmark identified a simple blood test that can predict breast cancer five years before it actually develops with an accuracy of a whopping 80%.

It works by "measuring all of the compounds in the blood to build a 'metabolic profile' of an individual, in order to detect changes in the way chemicals are processed, during a pre-cancerous stage," says Laura Donnelly, health editor at The Telegraph, which covered this development. Danish researchers observed 57,000 participants over 20 years, gathering blood samples along the way, specifically comparing a set of 800 women who remained healthy or developed breast cancer within 7 years of their first blood sample. The researchers found they were able to predict, with 80 percent accuracy, which patients would be affected by the disease, just by looking at the metabolic profiles they built from the participants' blood samples. The results have been published in Metabolomics.

Are you living with the uncertainty of a lump in your breast? It's time you take the first step and consult a specialist here.

The incidences of breast and ovarian cancer are on a rise. A shocking survey reveals in India that 48% of women with breast cancer are below the age of 50 years. The reason could be a lot of factors including lack of awareness and a delay in the diagnosis of the condition. When it comes to breast and ovarian cancer, a particular diagnostic test that has gained immense popularity over the last few years is the BRCA (BRCA1 and BRCA2) gene test. In this article, we will discuss facts related to the BRCA gene test, including its merits.

What are the BRCA genes?

The BRCA1 gene comes under the class of genes known as Tumor Suppressor Gene (antioncogene). As indicative of the name, these genes are responsible for suppressing the formation of tumors by regulating the cell division and growth, as it ensures that cell does not undergo rapid and abnormal division and proliferation. The BRCA genes also undergo mutations and modifications some of which may be harmful enough to cause cancer.

BRCA Gene Test
An early detection of breast and ovarian cancer often produces fruitful results in the successful treatment of the disorder. In the majority of the cases, genetic mutations or modifications act as a catalyst resulting in the abnormal multiplication of cells that eventually gives rise to cancer. The BRCA1 and 2 (Breast Cancer genes 1 and 2) genes play a significant role in breast and ovarian cancer. Mutation in either one of the genes (or at times both) makes a woman highly susceptible to developing breast and ovarian cancer at some point in their lives (depending on how harmful the mutation is).

• The BRCA gene mutation is inherited and can be passed on to the subsequent generations making the situation even worse.
• BRCA1 gene mutation may also make a person susceptible to incidences of colon and prostate cancer.
• The BRCA gene test is basically a blood test that is carried out to find if there are any mutations (often inherited) in the BRCA1 or the BRCA2 gene.

Benefits of BRCA gene test

• Women who have a family history of breast cancer or show signs of breast or ovarian cancer are often advised to undergo the BRCA gene test.
• The gene test keeps a woman updated about their health status, thereby enabling them to carry out the necessary preventive measures or treatment to deal with the condition better.
• In fact, every woman after the age of 20 should undergo the BRCA gene test.

However, there are instances (though rare) where a woman did develop breast cancer in spite of testing negative for the BRCA test indicating others gene mutations can also lead to breast cancer.