Cancer is the name given to any illness resulting from one of our body’s own cells growing out of control. There are many processes that control a cell’s growth and division, each of which can go wrong. Several of these control mechanisms need to be damaged before a cell becomes cancerous. There are more than 200 different types of cancers, which are categorized in to carcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma and leukemia based on the cells from which they arise.

The principles involved in treating cancer are either directly destroying the cancer tissues or indirectly destroying them by depriving them of blood supply and/or their nutrition. But the irony is that whatever conventional treatment is used to destroy cancer cells do affect to some extent the normal cells also. They may damage the skin, liver, intestine the bone marrow and other rapidly multiplying cells. Sometimes the effect of the treatment is more devastating than the disease itself.

Role of Alternative Medicine in treating cancer
A larger study of Alternative medicine use in patients with different types of cancer was published in the July 2000 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It was found that nearly 70% of the patients used at least one form alternative medicine along with the conventional treatment. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) are sponsoring a number of clinical trials at medical centers to evaluate alternative medical therapies for cancer.

Alternative medicine includes therapies like herbal remedies, vitamins, special diets, and acupuncture among others.
Acupuncture: effective in the management of chemotherapy associated nausea and vomiting and in controlling pain associated with surgery. Now used in a trial to reduce the symptoms of colorectal cancer

-Homeopathy
-Ayurveda
-Shark cartilage: Being tried in non-small cell lung cancer. it prevents new blood vessels growth
-Hyperbaric oxygen: In patients who had larynx removed for larynx cancer
-Massage therapy: for cancer related fatigue
-Pancreatic enzyme therapy along with specialized diet for the treatment of pancreatic cancer
-Mistletoe extract: for the treatment of solid tumors
-Wheatgrass therapy
-Macrobiotics: The macrobiotic diet is strictly vegetarian and requires you to consume about half of your daily calories from whole grains, about a quarter of your calories from vegetables, and the rest of your calories from beans, seaweed and soups
-Bioelectric therapies
-Moerman’s Anti-Cancer diet
-Hoxsey herbal therapy
-Essiac herbal therapy: Essiac is a herbal tea mixture that relieves pain and reduces the size of tumors. It contains four herbs- burdock, rhubarb, sheep sorrel and slippery elm
-Pau D’Arco herbal therapy
-Chaparral herbal therapy
-Laetrile (amygdalin): a chemical found in lima beans, raw nuts and the pits of many fruits. Amygdalin produces cyanide, which proponents claim kills cancer
-Alkaline diet: such as fruits and vegetables and restricting acidic foods
-Antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables
-Vitamins A, C and E: These are very good anti oxidants
-Detox therapies including Gonzales nutritional metabolic therapy, colon therapy, and Gerson therapy
The most successful practitioners integrate various components of the alternative cancer treatments for a better outcome.

Markus Wahlgren
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/alternative-medicine-for-treating-cancer-69428.html

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You won’t believe it but it is true. Prostate cancer is one of the top leading causes of death among men and many of the industrialized countries of the world. This information is based on continued monitoring of data that suggests men and ignore prostate health until cancer situations become critical.

Here’s some more information:

The statistics now have it that one in every ten men will eventually develop significant prostate cancer at one stage in their lifetime! The reason for this has more to do with our living longer than the rate of cancer growing out of control.

The fact is that the risk of contracting prostate cancer increases as we age, and the baby boomer bubble is reaching the age where prostate cancer becomes a significant risk factor.

So, do we keep running away from this reality? Or brave up and do something about it! We could change our diet, exercise more and try to prevent it from happening to us. The biggest thing we can do to take control of our lives is to get a regular yearly prostate exam.

Prostate cancer is a slow growing carcinoma that when diagnosed early can be treated and even cured. The key to prostate cancer survival, his early detection and treatment

The good news is that the sooner a prostate cancer is detected, the better and easier it would be to treat. So, with prostate cancer, the sooner you discover and treat it the better your chances of survival.

So, instead of hiding your head and ignoring the fact that your aging, learn all you can about good prostate health and the symptoms of prostate cancer. while the rest of your body is exposed it is wise to learn all you can about prostate cancer so that you can be better protected about it.

This knowledge will allow you to quickly identify the symptoms and go for full treatment. Better still, the knowledge you will get will help you to always go for check ups once or twice every year, to know immediately prostate cancer develops, so that you can fight it before it spreads.

With prostate cancer, early detection is the best way of surviving it.

Abigail Franks
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/prostate-cancer-what-you-dont-know-can-kill-you-81102.html

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Skin cancer is the fastest growing type of cancer in the United States. 1 out of 3 new cancers is skin related. Excessive sun exposure is the leading cause of skin cancers. The skin tumor normally develops in the epidermis making it visible to the naked eye, which can make the disease easier to diagnose. When treatments start at an early stage, there is a high probability of containing the cancer and curing it completely. Over close to 90% of skin cancer patients make it past the 5 year survival mark.

There are 3 types of skin cancers. The most common form of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma. Many different factors can come into play when discussing who is at risk for this form of the disease. Frequent or excessive sun exposure is far and away the biggest reason people develop this skin disease. These cancers develop in the basal layer of the skin and although the cancer does not normally spread to other organs, it can continue to grow locally if not treated properly. The skin pain associated with this form of tumor is initially non-existent what can be a bad thing because it can delay detection.

The second most common form of skin cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. These are not limited to the skin and can occur anywhere from the mouth to the prostate. These carcinomas only make up about a fifth of new cancer cases but are considered much more dangerous because of their ability to spread easily. Squamous cell carcinomas are mostly characterized by a large, red mark that takes the appearance of an open sore over time. They are quite dangerous and should be removed only through surgery or other medically appropriate procedures.

Melanomas are the third and most dangerous form of skin cancer. A large majority of skin cancer related deaths are due to this stage cancer. Most melanomas start off looking like moles. It is essential that if you have a new mole on your body that you get it checked by a doctor. What looks like a simple mole could turn out to be a cancerous growth. The reason its imperative to get any growth checked out is that nearly all skin cancers are 100% curable if found early. Like all other forms of skin cancer, skin type and sun exposure are the biggest factors in determining risk.

Treatment of skin cancers can range from digging out the diseased cells to chemotherapy. Some of the side effects of treatment can range from nausea to hair loss due to chemotherapy. Consult your oncologist with any questions or issues regarding side effects. Alternative medicine options and questions should only be discussed with a certified health care professional.

Use of artificial tanning beds has been shown to be a high risk activity in regards to skin cancers. High concentrated amounts of UV light may give your skin a little color but can cause exponentially more damage in the long run. Is a 1 week tan really worth the risk? People who make their home near the equator need to take extra care since studies show they are more likely to develop skin related issues than peoples living near the poles. Many steps can be taken to avoid skin cancer so do not fret.

A sun screen of at least 30 SPF applied generously every 2 hours will greatly reduce your risk of cancerous growths. Take a few minutes every few weeks so well to give yourself a self examination. Catching something in the early stages can mean the difference between life and death. Hats and long sleeve shirts are your friends during sunny days. It may be uncomfortable to be covered up during hot, sunny days but one needs to think in the future when talking about skin cancers. Just one deep burn can cause you problems down the road.

The sun is a dangerous thing. We need to be aware of the risks associated with excessive exposure in order to protect ourselves. Skin cancer is a common affliction affecting millions of Americans. A few small steps and a little knowledge about the symptoms and treatments can save many lives. Pay attention to any new growth or skin lesion that could be a precancerous signal on the body, do a little more research on the internet about actinic keratosis and contact a health care professional if anything appears. Time is of the essence.

Martha Fitzharris
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-3-forms-of-skin-cancer-and-hints-on-preventing-their-occurrence-123517.html

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It is known that in women, the ovaries produce eggs that travel through the fallopian tubes into the uterus where the fertilized egg implants and develops into a fetus.

The ovaries have 3 types of tissue. Germ cells, produce eggs that are formed on the inside of the ovary, stromal cells have the role to produce most of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone, and epithelial cells cover the ovary.

It was seen that many types of tumors can start growing in the ovaries, and some are benign, situation in which they can be successfully treated by removing the part of the ovary that contains the tumor, or one ovary. Other types of ovarian tumors are malignant, they can spread to other parts of the body, and need a more complex treatment.

Usually, the ovarian tumors are named according to the kind of cells from where the tumor started from, and whether they are or not cancerous. We can mention 3 main types of ovarian tumors: germ cell tumors, stromal tumors, and epithelial tumors.

Usually, epithelial ovarian tumors are benign, they don’t spread and do not cause a serious illness. Among the types of benign epithelial tumors, we can mention serous adenomas, mucinous adenomas, and Brenner tumors.

There are some epithelial ovarian tumors that do not appear clearly under the microscope to be cancerous. These are called tumors of low malignant potential, and it is known that they differ from typical ovarian cancers because they do not grow into the supporting tissue of the ovary. These tumors grow slowly, and are less dangerous than most ovarian cancers.

Cancerous epithelial tumors, also called carcinomas represent 85% to 90% of the ovarian cancers. The epithelial ovarian carcinomas can be classified because of some features that can be seen under the microscope into serous, mucinous, endometrioid, and clear cell types. The most common type is the serous. There also are undifferentiated epithelial ovarian carcinomas, which tend to grow and spread more quickly and do not look like any of these 4 subtypes. Epithelial ovarian carcinomas are classified by cell type and are given a grade on a scale of 1, 2, or 3. Epithelial ovarian carcinomas that are given grade 1 look like a normal tissue and tend to have a better prognosis. Grade 3 epithelial ovarian carcinomas look less like a normal tissue, and tend to have a worse prognosis.

Also called extra-ovarian, the primary peritoneal carcinoma is a cancer closely related to epithelial ovarian cancer. It develops in cells from the peritoneum but it is difficult to tell exactly where the cancer first started because it tends to spread along the surfaces of the pelvis and abdomen.

The symptoms provoked by this cancer are similar to those of ovarian cancer. These symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or bloating, indigestion, and a change in bowel habits.

The treatment consists in surgery, which will remove as much of the cancer as possible, and after that chemotherapy follows.

The germ cell tumors represent about 5% of ovarian cancers, have several subtypes, and usually are benign, although some can be life-threatening. Some of the most usual germ cell tumors are teratoma, endodermal sinus tumor, dysgerminoma and choriocarcinoma.

Teratoma has two forms: a benign form called mature teratoma, and a cancerous form called immature teratoma. The mature teratoma, also called a dermoid cyst usually affects women of reproductive age and is the most common ovarian germ cell tumor. These tumors also contain a variety of other benign tissues that may resemble adult respiratory passages, bone, nervous tissue, teeth, and other tissues. Surgical intervention is needed, in order to remove the cyst.

Immature teratomas resemble embryonic or fetal tissues such as connective tissue, respiratory passages, and brain, are rare cancers, and appear usually in girls younger than 18. If the tumor has not spread beyond the ovary and is not very immature, surgical removal of the ovary is needed, but if it had spread beyond the ovary or it looks very immature, surgical removal of the ovary and chemotherapy is needed.

Dysgerminoma is the most common ovarian cancer of germ cells, affects women in their teens and twenties, is considered malignant, but usually, does not grow or spread very quickly. If the tumor is limited to the ovary, the ovary must be surgically removed, and when the tumor has spread further, chemotherapy is needed in addition to surgery.

Endodermal sinus tumor and choriocarcinoma tend to grow and spread rapidly but are very sensitive to chemotherapy, they are very rare and affect girls and young women.

Stromal tumors usually appear in women over age 50, but can occur in young girls as well. Some of these tumors produce female hormones, or, more rarely male hormones, can cause vaginal bleeding to start again after menopause, or can cause menstrual periods and breast development in young girls. Thecomas and fibromas are benign stromal tumors, and granulosa cell tumors, granulosatheca tumors, and Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors are some types of malignant stromal tumors.

It is known that as a result of ovulation, there can appear cysts, which are called functional cysts and are completely normal. In about 1 to 3 months, these cysts shrink, and if you have this type of cysts, it is good to do a check after 1-3 months to see if the cyst became smaller. In some cases, it is possible that the doctor will prescribe birth control pills, to stop ovulation and in this way the forming of the cysts will stop.

As ways of treating the benign cysts, we can mention : observation, medications or surgical removal.

The fallopian tube cancer is extremely rare, shows symptoms similar to those that appear in women with ovarian cancer, and there can also appear more pelvic pain. In what concerns the treatment and outlook, it is similar to that for ovarian cancer.

For more info about ovarian cyst symptoms or even about ovarian cysts treatment please review this page http://www.ovarian-cysts-center.com/

Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/about-the-ovarian-cancer-and-its-types-130875.html

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Now people have become more aware and more concerned about their health. People have also heard a lot about cancer and how to prevent it. Health conscious people try to eat healthy, exercise daily, and avoid carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, radiation and chemicals. But that is just not enough. Another way to make sure you are safe from cancer is taking precaution step; cancer screening.

Cancer screening is the act of looking for cancer before a person begins to have any symptoms. Being able to find cancer at an early stage makes it easier for doctors to treat and prevent cancer cell from spreading. It is also cheaper and less painful for patients if the cancer is treated as an early stage. To make it easier to understand the benefits of cancer screening I wound like to give an example of two types of cancer often found in woman and why it’s important to scan for cancer regularly.

The first type of cancer is cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is a disease that affects the cervix, which is situated at the lower part of the uterus that opens at the top of the vagina. Cervical cancer usually develops very slowly and starts as a pre-cancerous condition called dysplasia. This pre-cancerous condition can be easily detected by a Pap smear and if followed up and treated properly can be 100% curable. Without being detected, dysplasia can develop into cervical cancer and spread to the bladder, intestines, liver and lungs. That is why it is very important to get regular Pap smears. Doctors recommend for woman to have a Pap test at least once every 3 years, beginning about 3 years after they begin to have sexual intercourse but no later the 21 years of age.

The second type of cancer most found in women and can be prevented by cancer screening is breast cancer. The two main types of breast cancer are ductal carcinoma which starts in the tubes that transfer milk from the breast to the nipple and lobular carcinoma which starts in the parts of the breast, called lobules that produce milk. Like cervical cancer, early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms. Women are advised to do regular breast self-exams. This is done by checking for hard uneven lumps in the armpits and the change of size, shape and feel of the breast and nipples. You should also check for fluid coming from the nipples. Another way to check for breast cancer is by either having a clinical breast exam by a medical professional or doing a mammography screening, which is able to detect breast abnormalities that could signal breast cancer. Woman of all ages should perform monthly breast self-exams. And women who are over 40 or have high risk of developing breast cancer should have regular mammograms.

As you can see both types of cancer mentioned above do not cause symptoms at an early stage and can only be detected by cancer screening. By being able to detect cancer at an early stage can not only increase the survival rate of the patient, but can also save money, time and pain.

Hedin Johan
http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/perform-cancer-screening-before-its-too-late-738895.html

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Now people have become more aware and more concerned about their health. People have also heard a lot about cancer and how to prevent it. Health conscious people try to eat healthy, exercise daily, and avoid carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, radiation and chemicals. But that is just not enough. Another way to make sure you are safe from cancer is taking precaution step; cancer screening.

Cancer screening is the act of looking for cancer before a person begins to have any symptoms. Being able to find cancer at an early stage makes it easier for doctors to treat and prevent cancer cell from spreading. It is also cheaper and less painful for patients if the cancer is treated as an early stage. To make it easier to understand the benefits of cancer screening I wound like to give an example of two types of cancer often found in woman and why it’s important to scan for cancer regularly.

The first type of cancer is cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is a disease that affects the cervix, which is situated at the lower part of the uterus that opens at the top of the vagina. Cervical cancer usually develops very slowly and starts as a pre-cancerous condition called dysplasia. This pre-cancerous condition can be easily detected by a Pap smear and if followed up and treated properly can be 100% curable. Without being detected, dysplasia can develop into cervical cancer and spread to the bladder, intestines, liver and lungs. That is why it is very important to get regular Pap smears. Doctors recommend for woman to have a Pap test at least once every 3 years, beginning about 3 years after they begin to have sexual intercourse but no later the 21 years of age.

The second type of cancer most found in women and can be prevented by cancer screening is breast cancer. The two main types of breast cancer are ductal carcinoma which starts in the tubes that transfer milk from the breast to the nipple and lobular carcinoma which starts in the parts of the breast, called lobules that produce milk. Like cervical cancer, early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms. Women are advised to do regular breast self-exams. This is done by checking for hard uneven lumps in the armpits and the change of size, shape and feel of the breast and nipples. You should also check for fluid coming from the nipples. Another way to check for breast cancer is by either having a clinical breast exam by a medical professional or doing a mammography screening, which is able to detect breast abnormalities that could signal breast cancer. Woman of all ages should perform monthly breast self-exams. And women who are over 40 or have high risk of developing breast cancer should have regular mammograms.

As you can see both types of cancer mentioned above do not cause symptoms at an early stage and can only be detected by cancer screening. By being able to detect cancer at an early stage can not only increase the survival rate of the patient, but can also save money, time and pain.

Hedin Johan
http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/perform-cancer-screening-before-its-too-late-738895.html

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Now people have become more aware and more concerned about their health. People have also heard a lot about cancer and how to prevent it. Health conscious people try to eat healthy, exercise daily, and avoid carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, radiation and chemicals. But that is just not enough. Another way to make sure you are safe from cancer is taking precaution step; cancer screening.

Cancer screening is the act of looking for cancer before a person begins to have any symptoms. Being able to find cancer at an early stage makes it easier for doctors to treat and prevent cancer cell from spreading. It is also cheaper and less painful for patients if the cancer is treated as an early stage. To make it easier to understand the benefits of cancer screening I wound like to give an example of two types of cancer often found in woman and why it’s important to scan for cancer regularly.

The first type of cancer is cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is a disease that affects the cervix, which is situated at the lower part of the uterus that opens at the top of the vagina. Cervical cancer usually develops very slowly and starts as a pre-cancerous condition called dysplasia. This pre-cancerous condition can be easily detected by a Pap smear and if followed up and treated properly can be 100% curable. Without being detected, dysplasia can develop into cervical cancer and spread to the bladder, intestines, liver and lungs. That is why it is very important to get regular Pap smears. Doctors recommend for woman to have a Pap test at least once every 3 years, beginning about 3 years after they begin to have sexual intercourse but no later the 21 years of age.

The second type of cancer most found in women and can be prevented by cancer screening is breast cancer. The two main types of breast cancer are ductal carcinoma which starts in the tubes that transfer milk from the breast to the nipple and lobular carcinoma which starts in the parts of the breast, called lobules that produce milk. Like cervical cancer, early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms. Women are advised to do regular breast self-exams. This is done by checking for hard uneven lumps in the armpits and the change of size, shape and feel of the breast and nipples. You should also check for fluid coming from the nipples. Another way to check for breast cancer is by either having a clinical breast exam by a medical professional or doing a mammography screening, which is able to detect breast abnormalities that could signal breast cancer. Woman of all ages should perform monthly breast self-exams. And women who are over 40 or have high risk of developing breast cancer should have regular mammograms.

As you can see both types of cancer mentioned above do not cause symptoms at an early stage and can only be detected by cancer screening. By being able to detect cancer at an early stage can not only increase the survival rate of the patient, but can also save money, time and pain.

Hedin Johan
http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/perform-cancer-screening-before-its-too-late-738895.html

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Now people have become more aware and more concerned about their health. People have also heard a lot about cancer and how to prevent it. Health conscious people try to eat healthy, exercise daily, and avoid carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, radiation and chemicals. But that is just not enough. Another way to make sure you are safe from cancer is taking precaution step; cancer screening.

Cancer screening is the act of looking for cancer before a person begins to have any symptoms. Being able to find cancer at an early stage makes it easier for doctors to treat and prevent cancer cell from spreading. It is also cheaper and less painful for patients if the cancer is treated as an early stage. To make it easier to understand the benefits of cancer screening I wound like to give an example of two types of cancer often found in woman and why it’s important to scan for cancer regularly.

The first type of cancer is cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is a disease that affects the cervix, which is situated at the lower part of the uterus that opens at the top of the vagina. Cervical cancer usually develops very slowly and starts as a pre-cancerous condition called dysplasia. This pre-cancerous condition can be easily detected by a Pap smear and if followed up and treated properly can be 100% curable. Without being detected, dysplasia can develop into cervical cancer and spread to the bladder, intestines, liver and lungs. That is why it is very important to get regular Pap smears. Doctors recommend for woman to have a Pap test at least once every 3 years, beginning about 3 years after they begin to have sexual intercourse but no later the 21 years of age.

The second type of cancer most found in women and can be prevented by cancer screening is breast cancer. The two main types of breast cancer are ductal carcinoma which starts in the tubes that transfer milk from the breast to the nipple and lobular carcinoma which starts in the parts of the breast, called lobules that produce milk. Like cervical cancer, early breast cancer usually does not cause symptoms. Women are advised to do regular breast self-exams. This is done by checking for hard uneven lumps in the armpits and the change of size, shape and feel of the breast and nipples. You should also check for fluid coming from the nipples. Another way to check for breast cancer is by either having a clinical breast exam by a medical professional or doing a mammography screening, which is able to detect breast abnormalities that could signal breast cancer. Woman of all ages should perform monthly breast self-exams. And women who are over 40 or have high risk of developing breast cancer should have regular mammograms.

As you can see both types of cancer mentioned above do not cause symptoms at an early stage and can only be detected by cancer screening. By being able to detect cancer at an early stage can not only increase the survival rate of the patient, but can also save money, time and pain.

Hedin Johan
http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/perform-cancer-screening-before-its-too-late-738895.html

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Life-threatening malignancies in one or both breasts is termed as breast cancer. Breast cancer can be both noninvasive, the one that does not spread and invasive which has high chances of spreading.

Ductal carcinoma and Lobular carcinoma are both noninvasive, if left untreated it can develop in to invasive. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma and infiltrating lobular carcinoma which spreads in the wall of the duct and the wall of a lobules respectively.

History of breast cancer can be traced back to 1600 B.C. it is considered as one of the oldest known tumors. In Papyrus writing tumors or ulcers of the breast and its cure were mentioned. For very long time there was no cure for the condition. Then in 1749-1806 the Scottish surgeon Benjamin Bell and the French surgeon Jean Louis Petit were the first one to remove the affected breast tissue, and underlying chest muscle.

There are different stages through which carcinoma of breast occurs. They are: 1. Onset of the carcinogenic cells. 2. Cancer is either 1- 2 inches long and spread to lymph nodes only. 3.Cancer has spread to tissues near the breast. 4. Cancer has spread to other organs of the body.

The ways in which you can kick off the breast cancer are: 1. Surgery: Depending on the stage and onset of the cancer, removal of lymph is necessary to remove the cancer cells. This process is termed as lumpectomy. In advance cases the removal of entire breast will only help the situation and it is termed as mastectomy. 2. Systemic therapy uses medication to treat the damaged cancer cells in the body. Immune therapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy are the types of systemic therapy. Chemotherapy are used before and after surgery.

Neo-adjuvant type of chemotherapy is given before surgery for reducing the size of the tumor. Adjuvant chemotherapy is suggested after surgery to reduce the recurrence. Chemotherapy has many side effect. The hormonal treatments include tamoxifen and Aromatase inhibitors are specially given to pre menopausal and postmenopausal women to decrease the level of estrogen in their body. 3. Radiation therapy involves high powered gamma rays or x-rays that precisely work on the target the area that needs treatment. These rays are effective in destroying the cancer cells and prevent recur from the place where the tumor was removed. The main purpose of this therapy is to prevent recur. Radiation therapy is done by linear Accelerator. Radiation therapy is usually done after surgery of breast cancer and an essential treatment for breast conserving therapy.

With all these therapies and self confidence anything and every problem can be chopped off.

Keith Londrie
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/breast-cancer-information-62787.html

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Lung cancer is the result of malignant cells forming in the tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining the air passages. The cells in our bodies are constantly dividing and reproducing. Usually, there’s an orderly pattern to this reproduction as cells develop and specialize to meet particular needs. Occasionally, however, a cell becomes damaged. There’s a mutation in its DNA, and rather than maturing and dying as is normal, it continues to reproduce unchecked. In essence, this is cancer – uncontrolled reproduction and growth of abnormal cells in the body.

Most lung cancers are believed to start in the epithelial lining of the lungs – the linings of the large and small airways that perform the task of extracting oxygen from the air. Because of this, lung cancer is sometimes called bronchogenic carcinoma – cancer arising from the bronchia. A smaller percentage of lung cancers begin in the pleura – the thin tissue sac that surrounds the lungs. These cancers are called mesothelioma. The most common form of mesothelioma is linked to asbestos exposure.

Cancer of the lungs is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. While it may take a period of years to develop, the cancer often goes undetected until late in the process. In addition, it tends to metastasize (migrate to other parts of the body) early, which leaves fewer opportunities to fight the mutated cells with surgery or radiation. Once the lung cancer does metastasize, it quickly spreads to the most vulnerable and important organs of the body, particularly the adrenal glands, the liver, the brain and the bones.

There are two primary forms of lung cancer – Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Small Cell Lung Cancer is less common, though far more deadly. It’s directly linked to cigarette smoking – less than 1% of SCLC is diagnosed in non-smokers. It’s also extremely aggressive and fast-moving, metastasizing rapidly to other organs, and often undiscovered until it’s already widespread.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, on the other hand, is far more common, accounting for nearly 80% of all diagnosed lung cancers. There are three main types of non-small cell lung cancer, generally characterized by the size, shape, and chemical composition of the cells that form the cancer:

Squamous Cell Carcinoma (also referred to as Epidermoid Carcinoma): accounts for around 25% – 30% of all lung cancers, and is associated with a history of smoking. This cancer is nearly always found in the central chest area, near the bronchus.

Adenocarcinoma (also referred to as Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma): accounts for around 40% of all lung cancers, and is found in the external region of the lung. Treatment for this form of lung cancer often leads to a more successful outcome than that of other lung cancers.

Large-Cell Undifferentiated Carcinoma: accounting for only 10% – 15% of lung cancers, this form may show up in any area of the lung. It tends to spread quickly, and often results in a poor prognosis.

It’s also possible for lung cancer to be a combination of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer types.

There are other, less common types of lung cancer. For instance, bronchial carcinoids are small tumors often found in people under 40 years of age. They tend to grow slowly, and be amenable to treatment. Carcinoid tumors account for approximately 5% of lung tumors. Some are non-cancerous. The others are generally slow-growing and can be successfully treated with surgery.

Finally, some cancers discovered in the lungs aren’t lung cancers at all. Since the lungs are prone to metastatic cancers from other sites, it’s not uncommon for tumors from other primary cancers to find their way to the lungs. When this occurs, the tumors are often discovered in the peripheral tissues of the lungs rather than in the central tissues.

Please note that the information provided in this article is for information purposes only. It should not be used during a medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of lung cancer. Such situations should always involve the expertise of a physician or health care provider.

David Silva
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/understanding-the-viciousness-of-lung-cancer-79396.html

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