After Breast Cancer, How Do You Select The Right Diet?

When people are first diagnosed with breast cancer, many look for ways to change their diet to improve their chances of survival and reduce the risk of the cancer recurring. Given how much information is available from clinics, books and the internet, it's easy to get swamped. So how do you get started picking the best diet for you?

A good place could be the nature of your cancer, with the first question - was your cancer hormonally responsive? The prime culprit is often oestrogen. If you're not sure if your cancer was hormonally responsive, then check with your doctor. They should already have tested you for this, and if you are on drugs like Arimidex, Tamoxifen, and other Aromatase inhibitors, then oestrogen is probably a key factor.

This means that any diet you choose should help you eat to beat the oestrogen. Excessive oestrogen is linked to cancers in men and women from melanomas to ovarian, from prostate to colon. And of course breast cancer.

How does your diet help to control oestrogen? Well, the following habits will all increase oestrogen...

Eating high fat and protein

Being overweight caused by eating excessive calories

High sugar content diets

BUT - certain foods can reduce aggressive oestrogen levels, converting it to less aggressive forms;

Eating natural compounds and sleeping well; eating certain foods can block the action of some oestrogens; and having healthy intestinal bacterial flora can also be a factor.

If you have an oestrogen triggered cancer, then any diet you pick should include phyto-estrogens as means of oestrogen control.

Professor Trevor Powles, former head of the breast cancer unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital is quite clear on the benefits of phyto-oestrogens and calls them the 'anti-oestrogens'. Phyto-estrogens, which are found in pulses, are weaker than oestrogen and compete with it to help control the level and effect of oestrogen. Alarmingly, today only 2 per cent of our diet in the UK contains pulses. Let's contrast this with 30 per cent back in 1900.

The following three breast cancer diets are probably the most well known:

Dr Johanna Budwig Diet (flaxseed and cottage cheese basically

Gerson's Diet

The Rainbow Diet by Chris Woollams

The Rainbow diet is available on Amazon and you can find details on the others on the internet, or our blog, Sian Scribbles.

One last point, in my personal experience, there are more benefits from being relaxed about diet and lifestyle, than from fretting over getting it all perfect according to some book or diet guru.

Perhaps the best breast cancer diet the one where you relax and eat what makes you feel physically and mentally fantastic.

After Breast Cancer, How Do You Select The Right Diet?

When people are first diagnosed with breast cancer, many look for ways to change their diet to improve their chances of survival and reduce the risk of the cancer recurring. Given how much information is available from clinics, books and the internet, it's easy to get swamped. So how do you get started picking the best diet for you?

A good place could be the nature of your cancer, with the first question - was your cancer hormonally responsive? The prime culprit is often oestrogen. If you're not sure if your cancer was hormonally responsive, then check with your doctor. They should already have tested you for this, and if you are on drugs like Arimidex, Tamoxifen, and other Aromatase inhibitors, then oestrogen is probably a key factor.

This means that any diet you choose should help you eat to beat the oestrogen. Excessive oestrogen is linked to cancers in men and women from melanomas to ovarian, from prostate to colon. And of course breast cancer.

How does your diet help to control oestrogen? Well, the following habits will all increase oestrogen...

Eating high fat and protein

Being overweight caused by eating excessive calories

High sugar content diets

BUT - certain foods can reduce aggressive oestrogen levels, converting it to less aggressive forms;

Eating natural compounds and sleeping well; eating certain foods can block the action of some oestrogens; and having healthy intestinal bacterial flora can also be a factor.

If you have an oestrogen triggered cancer, then any diet you pick should include phyto-estrogens as means of oestrogen control.

Professor Trevor Powles, former head of the breast cancer unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital is quite clear on the benefits of phyto-oestrogens and calls them the 'anti-oestrogens'. Phyto-estrogens, which are found in pulses, are weaker than oestrogen and compete with it to help control the level and effect of oestrogen. Alarmingly, today only 2 per cent of our diet in the UK contains pulses. Let's contrast this with 30 per cent back in 1900.

The following three breast cancer diets are probably the most well known:

Dr Johanna Budwig Diet (flaxseed and cottage cheese basically

Gerson's Diet

The Rainbow Diet by Chris Woollams

The Rainbow diet is available on Amazon and you can find details on the others on the internet, or our blog, Sian Scribbles.

One last point, in my personal experience, there are more benefits from being relaxed about diet and lifestyle, than from fretting over getting it all perfect according to some book or diet guru.

Perhaps the best breast cancer diet the one where you relax and eat what makes you feel physically and mentally fantastic.

Can Breast Cancer Really Be Prevented?

Breast cancer can be caused by many things, such as heredity and genetic factors that give a person a predisposition for it. Though more common in women, it is still present in men and can be something that affects both people certainly. There is no definitive way to prevent breast cancer, as it is a disease that will occur, but there are ways to avoid its fatal effects and to avoid letting it get out of hand.

The best prevention is precaution, and that means having biannual exams with a doctor to make sure that everything is running smoothly. Specifically, biannual mammograms should be sought, once a woman is in her twenties. A doctor will take a biopsy and check to see if there are any abnormalities in the breast. Sometimes there can be something strange, like a lump or some other anomaly, but a biopsy shows that it is benign. Most times, the lumps that are found are benign but occasionally they can be malignant and indications of the cancer. The only way to catch it early is to continuously perform mammograms and tests, such as self breast exams, where you feel across your breasts to check for lumps.

In fact, sometimes you might have stage one of the cancer and no symptoms will present themselves at all. In these cases, just making it part of your daily routine to have a breast exam performed is what is necessary and essential to ensuring your good health and preventing the cancer from getting to a more dangerous stage. The more progressed it gets, the more aggressive the treatment needs to be and the greater your chance of a fatality. But, catching it early can result in a beating the disease before it gains any momentum to do any real damage.

Some symptoms that you might feel are tenderness of your breasts, strange lumps and formations that you did not feel before, and painful, itchy or dry skin around the nipples. Performing self exams daily, maybe while you are in the shower or before going to bed, will help you know when anything abnormal forms. And if you are pregnant or nursing, you might easily mistake lumps for milk ducts, as that is common during pregnancy. Even if that is what it is, it is important to still get checked, because missing it in the early stage will cause you grief later when you find that it has advanced and what you thought was nothing to worry about has turned into a dangerous and potentially life threatening cancer.

Both men and women need to have tests done, especially women, as breast cancer is becoming far more common in women all over the world than in men. Also, it is important to see your doctor if you feel any of the symptoms or if you have a history of breast cancer in your family. Even if you do not have a history and do not feel any symptoms it cannot hurt to have check ups where you have the mammograms performed so that you can be sure you are on the right track. And as women age, their chance of getting it increases, so make sure that you increase the number of doctor appointments you make as your age increases.

Becoming More Aware of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a form of cancer that more and more people are becoming aware of, and for just cause. There are more and more people who are getting inflicted with this type of cancer nowadays. In fact, there is an entire month of each year devoted to breast cancer awareness. This helps women to understand the importance of having annual mammograms. There are many other reasons that you should have this scan done annually. As more women are becoming aware, the risk is dropping dramatically.

With the advancements in technology that we have compared to what they had years ago, there is no reason that women should not safely detect if they have cancer or not. There are really not many symptoms out there for breast cancer, therefore taking the time to have screenings done once a year and also doing self exams each month is vital. Breast cancer can be very life threatening. It can also cause you to have to have your breasts removed.

Never forget that it is very important for you to stay abreast of the situation when it comes to making sure that you or a loved one does not have breast cancer. It is not something that anyone wants to have to go through in their life. You need to remember that if it is something that you have to deal with that it is something that you or your loved one will be able to live through and end up being one of the breast cancer survivors in the world. The only way to do that is to stay on top of things and to make sure that you are able to take care of yourself and make sure that you find out early if you have cancerous cells in your breast tissue. Early detection is one of the best ways to make sure that you do not suffer a lot of loss or damage to your body from this harmful disease.

What Is Mammosite Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer?

Breast conservation procedures for early stage breast cancer has replaced mastectomy as the treatment of choice in the vast majority of patients. This entails a lumpectomy procedure where the surgeon removes the cancer from the breast with clear margins. This has traditionally been followed by whole breast radiation which prevents the cancer from coming back in that breast. This allows the woman to retain her breast and be free of her breast cancer. These treatments are done by a procedure called Tele-therapy which is done using giant x-ray machines, called LINACS. High energy x-rays are directed to the involved breast over a 6 to 7 week period, given 5 days a week. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to deliver each treatment.

The problems that patients with early stage breast cancer face when undergoing whole breast radiation:

1. Since the whole breast is treated with radiation, surrounding tissues such as lung and heart would also receive some radiation.

2. The several weeks that it takes for the treatments to be completed can be a burden on the patient and the family emotionally.

3. Patients who need chemotherapy, are started on radiation after several months delay from surgery.

4. Accessibility to a radiation center because of distances involved and the financial burden of staying away from their home and family for several weeks in order to complete the prescribed course of radiation.

Do all patients need whole breast irradiation?

This was a question that was asked several years ago and the concept of Partial Breast Irradiation caught on. Several studies showing that selected patients with early stage breast cancer would do just as well with a shorter course of treatment done in 5 days. Unlike external beam radiation ( Teletherapy), this was done through internal radiation, also called brachy-therapy. One of the pioneering methods of performing this procedure was by using a device called Mammosite balloon catheter.

What is Mammosite radiation therapy?

The surgeon places the inflated balloon of the Mammosite catheter into the cavity that is created by removing the tumor at the time of the lumpectomy. The patient subsequently comes over to the Radiation Oncology center where the Mammosite catheter is attached to a High dose rate radiation machine which is a device that has a small radioactive source called Iridium 192. This radioactive seed is driven by motors into the middle of the Mammosite balloon through the catheter for a calculated amount of time, generally a few minutes. This allows for the radiation from the source to kill cancer cells in the immediate area around the lumpectomy cavity. These treatments are done twice a day for five days. Since the radiation is given from within the balloon located within the lumpectomy cavity, there is very little radiation that is given to the heart and lung tissues.

Which breast cancer patients get benefit from Mammosite treatments?

There are strict criteria that need to be met before a decision is made to proceed with this short 5 day course of radiation treatment.

1. Age more than 45 years.

2. Size of the tumor less than 3 cm.

3. Margins of resection of the cancer in the lumpectomy should be clear.

4. Lymph nodes should not have any evidence of breast cancer spread.

Advantages of Mammosite breast cancer treatment:

1. Radiation part of treatment is completed soon after surgery and the patient can go on for chemotherapy etc without any issues.

2. Procedure is well tolerated and minimal side effects.

3. Convenient and cost savings to insurance companies and patients compared to 7 week of external radiation.

If Mammosite is so convenient for patients, how come more cancer centers do not discuss this with their patients?

1. The Radiation centers and / or departments may not be equipped with the high dose rate radiation machine to perform this procedure.

2. The Radiation doctors may not have any training in this procedure.

3. The surgeons may not have any training in this procedure.

Dr. Kumar is a board certified Radiation Oncologist who is co-founder of a private practice group called Coastal Cyberknife and Radiation Oncology in Saint Lucie County, Florida. He has over 17 years experience dealing with breast cancer patients including several members in his own family who have been afflicted by this disease.

Breast Cancer - Symptoms and Treatment Options

Breast cancer is the cancer of the breast. Although the incidence of this disease is highest among white women, breast cancer mortality rates are highest among racial minorities. Because this cancer incidence increases with age, the burden of suffering due to breast cancer in elderly women is substantial.

The risk of getting it increases with age. In essence, researchers concluded that this disease' survivors who regularly exercise reduce the risk of its recurrence. Breast-feeding for several months also seems to reduce its risk. For American women, besides skin cancer, this ailment is the most commonly diagnosed cancer.

An estimated 213,000 American women has been diagnosed with this disease in 2006. In 2008, the American Cancer Society estimated that there was 182,460 new cases in women. There were 194,280 new cases were diagnosed in women in the United States in 2009 alone.

The risk of this cancer recurrence may be lowered by hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is currently the treatment of choice for patients with high-risk metastatic this disease. In order to decrease a patient's risk of recurrent, patients are offered chemotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy is currently being offered to node negative as well as node positive patients at increased risk for recurrence.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this disease can vary. While the symptoms do not confirm the existence of breast cancer, only your doctor can tell for sure. Breast cancer & its symptoms usually begin with a single cell that mutates in the lobule or duct. The symptoms can vary. If you notice the above mentioned symptom you should immediately see your doctor to clarify and confirm.

Treatment

There are many treatment options to this disease. Tamoxifen remains currently the 'gold standard' for all women with estrogen/progesterone receptor positive breast cancer. Tamoxifen, the most widely prescribed drug for the adjuvant treatment of this disease, often exacerbates hot flushes.

The treatment can be expensive, even if insurance covers the actual costs of treatment. Surgery is the most common treatment for this disease. For patients with small, early-stage this disease, breast-conserving surgery is the preferred treatment option.

No one doctor can handle all aspects of cancer care, so a treatment team is necessary. Choosing alternative care in the case of breast cancer treatment would mean forgoing chemotherapy and radiation. Treatment for inflammatory breast cancer usually involves chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biopsy and hormonal therapy. Radiation therapy is a treatment in which high energy rays are used to destroy cancer cells.

Vincent Cheng is an avid author on various topics particularly in the areas of health, online marketing, parenting, games and anything that catches his interest.

Breast Cancer and Health Insurance

Even though death rates due to breast cancer have steadily decreased since 1990, almost 40,000 women were expected to die of breast cancer in 2010. This form of cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and it has been estimated that one in eight females will develop this condition. Still, with almost 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States in 2010, more women are surviving than ever because of good health insurance plans that cover mammograms and other cancer treatments.

There are factors women cannot control like genetics, ethnicity, or mutations, but there are ways to significantly decrease your risk of developing life-threatening stages of cancer. To ensure you or your doctor find any abnormalities early on you should: 

• Get a mammogram and clinical breast exam regularly. This may be yearly depending on your age and could help catch early stages of cancer before it spreads.
• Perform self breast exams regularly at home and report any lumps or other unusual findings to your doctor
• In general, you should get a yearly mammogram if you are over the age of 40 and every three years if you are under the age of 40. You have a higher risk of cancer as you get older.

Women should make sure they have the necessary health insurance coverage in case they develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. Your insurance should cover mammograms and other treatment procedures if you are ever diagnosed with breast cancer. Having health insurance you can count on is crucial for individuals diagnosed with serious conditions like cancer, and it can be difficult or impossible to find affordable coverage if you wait until you have already been diagnosed.

What Type of Chemotherapy Used for Breast Cancer?

Chemotherapy is the treatment used for treating cancer by destroying the cancerous cells. It is also used for treating breast cancer. This treatment is taken either before surgery, after surgery or as a measure to stop the cancer spreading to other parts or reoccurrence of cancer.

The treatment given to the breast cancer patient is based on several factors such as the overall health of the person and the stage of breast cancer. However, there are two types of breast cancer chemotherapy used for treating it. They are Adjuvant chemotherapy and Neoadjuvant therapy.

Adjuvant chemotherapy: This type of chemotherapy is used for destroying the cancer and is a very primary form of treatment used for treating breast cancer. It is a very systematic method of treating cancer. This treatment is very useful and helps to increase survival rate of the patients affected with this cancer. There are some types of adjuvant chemotherapy also which use a combination of hormonal therapy, radiation therapy for treatment.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy: This is used for reducing the tumor and is usually given before primary treatment. Once the tumor is reduced using this therapy it is then surgically removed.

There are some side effects which are faced by the individual undergoing this treatment. They are diarrhea, sore mouth, hair loss, feeling sick and sore eyes. These side effects are temporary and will be diminished after treatment.

You can consult a doctor to get medications which would help you to get a relief from these side effects. There are some long term side effects to this treatment as well. They are gaining weight, early menopause, affect on the heart; reduced cognitive functions and difficulty in losing the weight. Some of the long term side effects of this treatment can be life threatening.

However along with these side effects, you should also consider the fact that this treatment increases the survival rate of the patient and also the chances of reoccurrence of this cancer is reduced.

Shattering My Lymphedema Schema

One definition of schema is a structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas. A recent clinical investigation of breast cancer and lymph node removal repudiates the time-honored ideas of many in the medical field that lymph node removal prevents cancer recurrence or improves survival.

The study, made public in early February, 2011, suggests that many women with early-stage breast cancer no longer need to have cancerous lymph nodes removed from their armpit. Conducted at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and more than 100 other sites, the study found that taking out cancerous lymph nodes from a certain subset of women does not change their treatment plan, improve survival or make the cancer less likely to recur.

The results would seem to apply to women whose condition is like those in the study: stage T1 or T2 tumors (less than two inches across), no palpable lymph nodes, no metastases to other parts of the body and no more than two positive lymph nodes found in the sentinel node biopsy. Of course, the ultimate decision must be made in consultation with the treating surgeon and oncologist.

Many experts predict that this discovery, combined with earlier studies of a similar nature, will change medical practice for many patients. According to the February 8, 2011 New York Times article reporting the finding, some centers have already acted on the new information. For example, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City changed its practice in September 2010, because doctors knew the study results before they were published. But, like adoption of the sentinel node biopsy procedure more than a decade ago, more widespread change in practice will take longer, due to the deeply held belief that removing more lymph nodes is beneficial.

It's important to remember that a life-long risk of lymphedema exists even after only a few nodes are taken for sentinel node biopsy. However, that risk is much lower than when many nodes are removed.

As a lymphedema survivor of 14 years, I have witnessed the dramatic improvement in more conservative node-removal surgery since 1996, when I had 14 nodes removed, all negative for cancer. I applaud the results of these advancements, even though I personally will not benefit from them. If they lead to practice changes, new breast cancer patients will no longer need to endure the pain and disabling side-effects of further lymph node removal and face further risk of developing lymphedema. After all, I--along with countless other women-- benefited from the now-decades-old studies that disproved the necessity for radical mastectomies.

Brava to the women who volunteered to participate in these ground-breaking clinical trials. I'm happy to shed my schema on treatment of lymphedema. It's welcome, and it's a relief.

The author's first book, "Mourning Has Broken: Reflections on Surviving Cancer" (Xulon Press, 2008) recounts her personal journey through two bouts with breast cancer. Her second book, a fanciful poetic look at breast cancer, is entitled "The Pebble Path: Returning Home from a Forest of Shadows" (Outskirts Press 2010).

She is an American Cancer Society volunteer, a breast cancer and lymphedema patient-advocate, blogger, and speaker.

Breast Reconstruction Options - How To Get Your Breasts Back After Cancer

Breast reconstruction surgery offers a way for women to get their natural bodies back after losing breasts to cancer. It offers a great way to restore your natural figure after mastectomy.

What Is Mastectomy

Mastectomy is a procedure where the doctor removes one or both breasts in order to get rid of the cancer. To do this successfully and eliminate the risk of remaining cancer cells, all of the tissue must be removed. This means that all of the skin, fat and other tissue that makes up the breasts is gone. The end result is a flat chest. With a single mastectomy, one side will be completely flat; with a double, the chest is completely without breasts.

The psychological effect of mastectomy is devastating. Although it initially gives women hope, triumph and closure, knowing that the disease is now gone from their body, a darker mood sets in once this initial feeling fades. You are now left with a disfigured body that causes embarrassment and shame. Breast reconstruction surgery offers a way to reclaim your body and restore your breasts to a healthy and natural state.

Breast Reconstruction Options

Following a mastectomy, many women have trouble considering doing breast reconstruction. This surgery to remove cancer can be traumatic and painful, and the last thing most women want to do is get back under the knife. However, studies show that breast reconstruction surgery works best if done immediately following mastectomy. It is easier, more effective and less painful if done immediately. There are also some techniques that make it easier.

Tissue Expanders

Breast reconstruction means placing implants behind the chest muscles so that you can have your chest back. One way to make the implantation procedure easier is to use a tissue expander. This is sort of like a balloon. This sac is filled with saline gradually over time to help the tissue inside the chest gradually get used to the implant that's going to be put in. By expanding this tissue over time, it is given a chance to slowly stretch. Then, when the surgeon puts in the implants, it is not such a shock.

Implant Options

Just like in a regular implant procedure, you'll be given a choice by the doctor of whether you'd like saline or silicone implants. Silicone is generally considered to be more natural in terms of look and feel, but saline is also good. Some women prefer saline because they're worried about the silicone implants rupturing, although this risk has been reduced to almost zero.

Another option is to use fat tissue from other parts of the body for your implants. This technique is fairly new and not all doctors perform it, but you might want to ask your physician. It requires a bit more surgery, but the main advantage is that you won't have any foreign tissue in your body.

Whichever option you choose, breast reconstruction can really help you get your breasts back after you've lost them to cancer. If you can, get it done immediately afterwards so that it will be easier.

Main Breast Cancer Symptoms and Early Warning Signs

Early diagnosis of breast cancer can result in less damage to the breast tissues, less severe treatment and faster curing. That is why it is particularly important to notice any disturbing signals and visit a doctor on time. Here is an overview of the breast cancer symptoms that a woman is more likely to experience.

This condition is characterized by the formation of lumps in the breast. These are usually painless, but can be felt upon touch. In addition, they sometime create a spiny sensation, even though this is not particularly common. These lumps are hard and are usually persistent after menstruation. They can be felt in the breast as well as in the underarm area.

At later stages of the development of the tumor, the sufferer can feel tenderness in the breast. Pain may also be present, but the sensation can vary from dull and achy to sharp.

A change in the size and contour of the breast is another one of the notable breast cancer symptoms. An uneven increase in size may signal this condition. It is also not uncommon for a flattening to occur in the affected area, even though a lump cannot be felt. Sometimes an indentation can appear, again without a noticeable sign of a lump. Some sufferers feel that they have a small area that resembles marble under the skin. In general, if you notice any area that is distinctively different, you should see a physician.

Another one of the breast cancer symptoms is a change in the skin texture and temperature. Some sufferers with an advanced stage of the condition experience a significant change in the skin of the affected area. It has tiny dents and becomes reddish to resemble orange peel. The area is much warmer to touch than normally.

Some sufferers experience a change in the nipple. This is one of the most easily recognizable breast cancer symptoms. It may become depressed and get an unusual dimpled look. It is also possible for the nipple to have some form of ulceration. It might feel itchy or burning.

In some cases, a discharge from the nipple can also signal the presence of a tumor. Irrespective of the discharge's color and texture, you should visit a doctor immediately. This is not normal and even if you do not have a tumor, you might be suffering from another condition.

It is essential for you to call a doctor, if you have any of these breast cancer symptoms.

The Main Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Breast cancer is a dangerous disease. It is perfectly natural for any woman to be afraid. However, this does not mean that the problem should not be discussed. Quite the opposite, being better informed about the risk factors can help you prevent the problem or get more adequate and timely treatment.

The truth is that no woman is perfectly safe from breast cancer. Researchers have not figured out what triggers the condition exactly. What we know so far is that there are certain breast cancer risk factors that increase your chance of suffering from the disease. Still, it should be pointed out that the presence of these factors does not mean that you will definitely get this disease.

Having a close relative with the condition increases your risk of getting it approximately two times. This means that if you have a mother, sister or daughter who has or has had breast cancer, you are two times more likely to develop the disease. If you have two first degree relatives with the condition, your risk increases five times.

There are genetic factors that can also increase your chances of getting the condition. Women with alternations in either of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are up to 80 per cent more likely to suffer from this disease.

Aging has long been associated with the development of different types of cancer. Statistics reveal that this is one of the factors that increase the risk of breast cancer as well. Researchers have found that the chance of suffering from this condition in your 40's is 1 in 68, while getting it in your 50's is 1 in 37.

If you have had an abnormal breast biopsy in the past, your chance of developing the condition becomes higher. This is particularly applicable to women who have been diagnosed with atypical hyperplasia.

These are the main factors that put you at higher risk. There are additional ones that can also boost your chances of getting the condition to a certain extent. Still, according to physicians these increase the risk minimally.

Some of the additional factors that increase the risk include distant family history of the condition, first childbirth after the age of 35, menstruation before the age of 12 and menopause after the age of 55. It has been suggested that being overweight and consuming excessive amounts of alcohol also increases your risk of getting the condition.

Consider all these breast cancer risk factors and take the necessary measures to prevent this disease.

Breast Cancer: Fancy Gadget and Half A Million Ringgit Failed to Cure Her - What Now?

May (not real name) is a 39-year-old-female. In mid-2008 she delivered her child. Two months before delivery, she noticed the hardening of her left breast. Ultrasonography did not show anything wrong. The doctor suggested it could be due to the breast being engorged with her milk. Although she breast fed her baby the breast remained hard. There was no problem with her right breast. She went to consult order doctors and all of them came to the same conclusion - no problem!

Utrasonograhy of her breasts on 1 December 2008 indicated diffused inflammatory process. The left nipple was retracted. Conclusion: probably diffuse mastitis. A biopsy is advisable. Subsequent needle biopsy done did not show any malignancy. Not satisfied, a tru-cut biopsy was done on 29 January 2009. The result showed atypical proliferation of cells suggestive of an intra ductal carcinoma. An open biopsy of the breast lump confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma with high grade intra-ductal carcinoma.

May sought a second opinion from a doctor in a private hospital in Singapore. The histology slide was restudied. It was concluded that it was a ductal carcinoma in-situ, intermediate grade with comedonecrosis and infiltrative ductal carcinoma.

CT scan done on 31 January 2009 showed: a) no metastataic deposits in the liver, b) several rounded sclerotic lesions seen in the thoracic and upper lumbar spine suspicious of metastatic lesions, c) a tiny nodule in the upper lobe of the right lung - probably a solitary pulmonary metastatic nodule. A bone scan confirmed bony metastases at the left scapula, left third rib and sites along the spine.

Histopathology report showed carcinoma cells are immunopositive for oestrogen rerceptors and progesterone receptors. HER2 oncoprotein is overexpressed.

May was advised to start chemotherapy immediately. The first chemo-treatment started on 2 February 2009. A pump was fitted to continuously deliver 5-FU. May also received two doses of Navelbine for each 5-FU cycle. In addition, May was given Zometa for the bone. In total May received 13 cycles of chemotherapy from February 2009 to October 2009.

At this point I asked two questions:

1. What did the oncologist say about the chances of a cure? The answer was: The doctor said there would be no cure. The treatment was only to control the problem. 

2. You must have spent a lot for this treatment? The answer: Yes, approximately RM 500,000. That is half a million ringgit - right? Yes, it is.

A CT scan on 27 April 2009 showed: a) a solitary pulmonary nodule in the right middle lobe. This measures less than 5 mm. It shows no change from previous examination, b) multiple sclerotic bony lesions. These were already noted in the previous CT scan.

May went to China for another opinion in May 2009. A PET /CT scan was done. The doctors in China concluded that May's condition had stabilised and there was no need for treatment.

A CT scan done on 12 October 2009 showed the cancer had stabilised. However, throughout the whole month of October 2009, May complained of headaches, pains in the neck and shoulder. The oncologist said the pains had nothing to do with her cancer!

In October 2009, May completed her 13th chemo treatment in Singapore.

In November 2009, May went to India for further treatment using the Cytotron (Cytotron is the trade name of the device developed in India. It looks like a MRI machine that uses Rotational Field Quantum Magnetic Resonance Generator).

May received an hour of Cytotron treatment per day. While undergoing the Cytotron treatment, May continued to receive the 5-FU-Navelbine regimen (the 14th cycle). The treatment was scheduled for a total of 28 days but after the 20th tretment, May developed bad coughs and chest pain. The doctor thought this was due to pneumonia and she was given antibiotics and cough syrup. An X-ray indicated left pleural effusion (i.e., fluid in the lung). A week later the pains still persisted and the coughs became bad whenever May moved. A CT scan was ordered and revealed pulmonary embolism (blockage of the arteries in the lungs by blood clots that travel to the lungs from other parts of the body). May was put on Heparin, an anti-blood coagulation medication.

May returned to Malaysia in mid-December 2009. May started to have pains again. Her shortness of breath also persisted. She coughed wherever she moved. The oncologist in Kuala Lumpur mentioned that the cancer appeared stable and there was no hurry to continue with chemotherapy but the pulmonary embolism had to be resolved first. May was prescribed Warfarin. Her pulmonary embolism cleared off.

A PET CT scan on 23 February 2010 showed stable results. The oncologist said no further chemotherapy was necessary for the time being. But May had to continue receiving Bonefos (for the bone). In addition May was started on Tamoxifen beginning March 2010.

In June 2010, May's left breast hardened again. The oncologist did not think chemotherapy was necessary but May was asked to continue with her Tamoxifen and Bonefos.

In July 2010 the skin colour of her left breast turned dark. A PET scan on 29 July 2010 indicated increased FDG avid activity and this could represent an inflammatory process of tumour activity. There was also increased FDG uptake in the thymus. At this point, the oncologist suggested a mastectomy.

On 2 September 2010, May had her left breast removed. There were some wound infections after the surgery and it took two months to recover. The histopathology indicated invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 2 with a few foci of ductal carcinoma in-situ, high grade. Twelve of the 13 lymph nodes were completely infiltrated by malignant cells with infiltration into the surrounding adipose tissue in 4 nodes.

On 20 October 2010, there was a slight swelling in May's right breast near the nipple. Ultrasonography of the right breast did not show anything wrong. May was prescribed antibiotics. Since there was no improvement, a needle biopsy was done on 27 October 2010. The right breast tissue showed invasive ductal carcinoma.

The doctor suggested mastectomy of the right breast. This would be followed by radiation treatment for the left breast. There would also be radiation treatment for the right breast after the wound has healed. Bonefos would be changed to Zometa.

A PET scan done on 10 November 2010 showed cancer activity in the right breast.The bone lesions which were stable before had now become active. In view of this, the oncologist suggested more chemotherapy.

May underwent 3 cycles of chemotherapy using a combination of 5-FU, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (FEC) together with Zometa. The 3rd FEC cycle was completed on 14 January 2010.

How CA Care Got Into the Picture

On 3 November 2010, we received this e-mail:

Hi Chris, 

I am Don (not real name) and came across your website while searching for some alternative cancer treatments. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer stage 4 in February 2009. She had undergone chemo and just recently did a mastectomy of her left breast. Unfortunately now her right breast is also affected. Last week the biopsy shows it is an invasive ductal carcinoma. Doctor is suggesting another mastectomy but we are worried as we don't think it can help. 

Can you help us? How good is your treatment? Can I send you the reports for review? 

Hope to hear from you soon.

On 14 January 2011 was another e-mail:

Dear Chris, 

I would like to come to Penang and meet you to discuss regarding my wife. I have got the latest scan results with me. What are the days and time convenient for you to see patients?

Actually before these e-mails, Don came to our centre to collect some herbs but did not take them due to lack of confidence. Then she started to receive her first chemo treatment and suffered severe side effects. She had headaches, felt nauseous and was dizzy.

Before receiving her 2nd cycle of chemotherapy, May started to take our Chemo-tea. The side effects of this second chemo treatment were reduced by about fifty percent. This built up her confidence in our herbal teas. When May had her 3rd cycle of chemotherapy, she felt even better.

The War Has Not Ended Yet - perhaps a "surge" is just about to begin

May was scheduled to receive three more cycles of chemotherapy. This time the drugs to be used are Taxotere plus Herceptin. May is supposed to receive Herceptin indefinitely once every 3 weeks (but at least a year). May is also to receive Zometa once every 3 months.

From March 2010 to end of July 2010, May was on Tamoxifen. According to the oncologist since there was a recurrence, Tamoxifen was therefore not effective. He is of the opinion that May should switch to another drug - the newer generation of aromatase inhibitor. But for the aromatase inhibitor to be effective patient must be in her menopause. So to achieve this menopause, the oncologist suggested removal of May's ovaries.

Don (husband) came to our centre in Penang and told us the above story on 18 January 2011. 

Comments:

1. The Breast Cancer War - fancy gadget plus half a million ringgit

Most patients (especially those who never had the experience of having a family member undergone medical treatment for cancer) have the misconception that after surgery / chemotherapy, their cancer will go away. Unfortunately, this is far from being true. Read the following two quotations.

Amy Soscia, a cancer patient said: There is no cure for metastatic breast cancer. It never goes away. You just move from treatment to treatment.

A renowned oncologist in Singapore wrote: Oncology is not like other medical specialties where doing well is the norm. In oncology, even prolonging a patient's life for three months to a year is considered an achievement. Achieving a cure is like striking a jackpot.

In a review entitled: In the End What Matters Most? A Review of Clinical Endpoints in Advanced Breast Cancer (Oncologist, January 2011; 16:25-35), Sunil Verma et al, wrote:

- Many agents are being studied for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC), yet few studies have demonstrated longer overall survival, the primary measure of clinical benefit in MBC. 

- Of the 73 phase III MBC trials reviewed, a strikingly small proportion of trials demonstrated a gain in overall survival duration (12%, n = 9).

From the very beginning May was told the treatments she received were to only control the situation - and in this case, where is the control? Almost half a million ringgit has been spent but May was not getting any better. In fact her condition became worse. She is starting the second phase of another battle now that the cancer had spread to the other breast, after one had been removed. The war will go on. Based on the review paper published in The Oncologist a week ago, the overall survival advantage due to chemotherapy could just be an illusion.

Can we not learn a lesson from May's experience? Albert Einstein said: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

2. Total Commitment - do you really believe in herbs?

Not all patients who come to seek our help believe in what we do. We are firm in saying that It is not for us to "influence" you to follow our ways. This has to be entirely your choice.

We are fully aware that after spending thousands of ringgit on the so-called scientific, high-tech treatments provided by the best brains in medicine, it is hard to believe that some roadside weeds could help your cancer. To the educated mind it seems like a big joke. So believing in what we do is an important ingredient for success. Past statistics showed us that only 30% of those who come are really committed or believe in what we do.

3. Chemo-Tea Helped Her - she gained more confidence

I told Don that I would be writing this story. Otto von Bismarck wrote: A fool learns from experience. A wise man learns from the experience of others. So the main aim of writing this story is to share May's experience with others - perhaps those who wish to learn would not have to experience similar bitterness. 

Some patients believe even before they experience, but others need to experience before they can believe. It is a choice.

4. Cancer War - In a war, no one ever wins!

Tragic stories about breast cancer war abounds. But all is not lost. There are some patients who have the guts to say: "Chemo? No thank you!" Many of them survived to tell their sweet stories.

Let me close by quoting Dr. Bernard Jensen (in Empty Harvest): "While the situation is dire, should fear be the correct catalyst for change? I don't think so. For fear is a disease in itself - a disease of the mind. Therefore, it is not out of fear, but courage, that mankind will be most effective in restoring health and harmony."

Benefits of Green Tea and Its Reduction of the Risk of Breast Cancer

The health benefits of green tea are becoming well-known and accepted in most medical circles. There is a common notion that the consumption of this beverage can reduce the risk of breast cancer in women. It is worth exploring the evidence that supports this claim and the findings that refute it.

Various animal studies, with most being on mice, suggest that the powerful antioxidant, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), can slow the development of breast tumors. One study on groups of mice with injected breast tumor cells has shown that in those treated with EGCG the tumors shrunk by up to 66%.

There have been many clinical studies on human patients as well. In a study of 427 women with different stages of breast cancer, researchers discovered that those who consumed the highest amounts of green tea had the smallest spread of the tumor. Another study in Japan included women who had been treated for this type of cancer. The ones who consumed high amounts of green tea per day were up to 50% less likely to develop breast cancer again.

However, some of the latest studies show no direct relationship between the consumption of green tea and the reduction of the risk of breast cancer. The study carried out in Japan is one of the largest ever made. It involved 54,000 women with different levels of consumption of green tea, ranging from less than 1 cup a day to over 10 cups a day. During the time of the study 581 women were diagnosed with the condition.

The researchers found that the risk of breast cancer development in women drinking little tea and those drinking a lot of tea did not differ. They concluded that the consumption of green tea does not reduce the risk of the condition, irrespective of the number of cups of the drink consumed per day.

There are other studies that support these findings. Another study that led to the same conclusion, however, showed surprising results. It turned out that even though the consumption of the drink did not reduce the risk in general, the women under the age of 50 who drank three or more cups per day were 37% less likely to develop the condition.

Overall, it is not known whether and how much green tea can reduce your risk of breast cancer. One thing is certain though, its consumption will not do you harm, but will bring you a lot of other health benefits.

Breast Cancer - Vital Facts About Breast Implant Surgery

Women who needed a mastectomy because of breast cancer often suffer from depression. To regain their self-confidence, these cancer survivors can consult with a plastic surgeon in Nevada, and request a breast implant in Las Vegas. Adding a saline-filled and silicone-gel-filled implant to replace the lost breast can make a world of difference.

Battling cancer is not easy and can have an enormous impact on both the physical and mental state of a patient. This can even get worse when the cancer has spread, or the tumor is in a bad location. In these cases, the breast has to be surgically removed. During a mastectomy, the entire breast is taken out to ensure that no malignant cells are left behind. This can be devastating.

Women who had a breast removed have 3 choices. Mastectomy patients can accept their fate, they can have the other breast reduced, or they can see a specialist in Clark County and request a breast implant. In Las Vegas, they can select the perfect cosmetic surgery institute for this procedure. With the help of a skillful plastic surgeon, and surrounded by compassionate, knowledgeable and committed staff, patients can expect superior results. They will have a full range of treatment options, and will be protected by complete patient confidentiality.

Surviving breast cancer, as well as a mastectomy is absolutely possible with the support of loving family members, concerned friends, and the great care of a superior plastic surgery institute. While the road to recovery may not always be easy, always remember that with all the available assistance you can count on, there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.

Breast Cancer Surgery Isn't Such a Popular Choice Anymore With Cancer Specialists

For at least a century now, the women who have had their doctors detect early breast cancer in them have gone under the knife for a painful kind of surgery that was always thought to be the best chance they could have at survival. The surgery was lymph node removal from the armpit and women have always agreed to having it done because their doctors always told them that it would help them live longer and keep the cancer from coming back. What doctors find today is that breast cancer surgery like this does no good in one out of five women who have it done in America. It doesn't help them live longer, it doesn't help them beat breast cancer any better and it doesn't keep the cancer from coming back. All that it does is to give these poor women a lot of pain from the surgery and a possible shot at an infection called lymphedema that can be quite bothersome.

Why was breast cancer surgery deemed to be of no use in these women? It was because these were women who were given chemotherapy and radiation therapy anyway ahead of the surgery; and these methods of cure usually work well enough that in one of five women, the cancer is destroyed effectively. In case you didn't know, all women with breast cancer in the lymph nodes are given radiation and chemotherapy. It's because doctors believe that cancer that's gone as far as the lymph nodes doesn't usually yield to mere surgery. They believe that once cancer has gone this far, it is likely to be ready to spread even farther.

Breast cancer specialists are so impressed with these new findings that they are already changing their treatment plans at several major hospitals. To be given the benefit of this new funding, you have to make sure that you visit one of the more advanced frontline hospitals. Most places still have doctors who are stuck to the old way of doing things - which would be recommending breast cancer surgery for the lymph nodes, left and right, indiscriminately.

It's just that doctors and patients both find it difficult to scale the intensity of their treatment back. They feel that anything that's less intense an option has to be risky. But they should take a little inspiration from the way the intensity of treatment aimed at breast cancer has been on the decline for decades now, with great results. It used to be that up till about the 70s, doctors kept lopping breasts off with radical mastectomy a great deal. That's when they discovered that they doesn't have to lope breasts off; that lumpectomy and radiation often achieved results that were just as good.

As scientific understanding progresses about what breast cancer is all about, doctors learn to become less panicked and more restrained in what they recommend. It's the way medical science has always progressed.

Different Types of Breast Cancer Drugs

As breast cancer survivors would attest, the journey to purging the body of the cancer cells is not easy. The good thing about the struggles that one has to overcome during treatment however is the fact that one feels like a real winner when health is finally regained. The easiest way to handle treatment is to gain knowledge about the breast cancer drugs and their side effects. Once this is done, the patient is in a better position to prepare him or herself psychologically for the treatment regimens and the effects that may come with them.

Some of the most common breast cancer drugs are used in chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and biological therapy. Drugs in the chemotherapy regimen are intended to stop further multiplication of the cancer cells. They include drugs such as Flurouracil, Epurubicin, Clyclophosphamide, Adrriamycin Methotrexate, and Mitozantrone among others. Some of these cancer treatments are used in combination in order to give the patient maximum benefits. The most common side effects experienced when the chemotherapy drugs are used include hair loss, nausea, premature menopause, fatigue, hot flashes, and temporary low blood count. Once complete healing is attained however, most of these side effects disappear. Some like menopause are however permanent.

Hormone therapy includes the use of cancer drugs such as Tamoxifen, Arimidex, Femara, and Aromasin. Tamoxifen is specifically used in pre-menopausal women, while Arimidex, Femara, and Aromasin are administered on postmenopausal women. Drugs administered under the hormone therapy regimen inhibit cancer cells from growing by preventing the release of the estrogen hormone by the body. The hormone therapy drugs are often used after breast cancer surgery to prevent further growth of cancer cells in the breasts. Taxol is also another cancer drug that falls in the hormonal inhibiting category. The drug is specifically administered to patients who had received Adriamycin during chemotherapy. Some of the noted side effects for the drugs as used in the hormone therapy regimen are manifested through vaginal dryness and hot flashes. When Taxol is used, patients may experience tingling or numbness of their feet and hands, and muscular pains. Painful joints are also a common complaint among patients receiving Taxol treatment. Other drugs such as Herceptin fall in the biological therapy regimen. Drugs in this category work by boosting the patient's immune system. The immune system in turn acts by destroying existing cancer cells.

The specific type of breast cancer drugs to be used on an individual patient is determined by the oncologist based on the patient's condition. Depending on the patients age, health condition, resistance to specific cancer treatments and the stage of cancer, the oncologist may recommend different or a combination of breast cancer treatments. Notably however, the list of cancer drugs will continue growing in coming days, especially because researchers continue investigating newer and more effective treatment methods. Patients may also benefit from newer drug discoveries through taking part in clinical trials.

Showing Support With Breast Cancer Awareness Products

If there's one thing I wish I could do more of, it's volunteer my time to support worthy causes. Unfortunately, work and family commitments leave me with very little free time and prevent me from doing much volunteering on weekends. If I were rich, I'd write a check to every charitable organization out there, but that's not possible either. So right now I'm doing what I can by buying breast cancer awareness products for myself and to give as gifts.

You're probably familiar with the pink ribbon symbol that is usually attached to breast cancer awareness products. I love buying apparel and accessories bearing this logo because I know that a portion of the money I spend will go towards funding further research. Since I have family members and close friends that have suffered from this disease, I think it's critical to help fund further research. Too many great women have been cut down in their prime, and I believe I speak for everyone when I say we owe it to our mothers, sisters, wives, and friends to stop this disease in its tracks. If I can contribute even just a little bit by buying breast cancer awareness products, then of course I will continue to do so.

Another reason I like breast cancer awareness products is because they usually catch the attention of other people. There are some very nice items for sale at the official Pink Ribbon website, as well as partner sites across the Internet, and many of these pieces invite comments from total strangers. When I tell them where I got this particular hat, handbag, scarf, pin, or bracelet, I know that they'll go home and check out the site for themselves. If this leads to more sales of breast cancer awareness products, then I feel like I've done my good deed for the day.

I don't purchase breast cancer awareness products only for myself, either. I've found a number of beautiful gift items on the site, and now give pink ribbon merchandise whenever presents are called for. I've done this for birthdays, graduations, Christmas, anniversaries, and retirements, and all the recipients have been thrilled to receive a quality product that helps support a wonderful cause. I look at it this way. If I have a choice between spending my money on a Hollister t-shirt or spending the same dollars on a Pink Ribbon or Fight Like a Girl shirt, there's simply no question about which option is more worthy.

I like to believe that most people would support this kind of cause if they had enough time or money to do so. If you aren't in a position to write a big donation check, then do what I do and purchase breast cancer awareness products instead of shopping at the mall. You'll still get cool merchandise, and a portion of the proceeds will go towards finding the cure to a devastating disease.