Article by Alvis Walter

Every individual having brain tumors should receive unique and individual Brain Cancer Treatment. The treatment generally depends on the individual’s age, general health, and size and location of the tumor.

There are several questions surrounding brain cancer treatment. The nature of treatment, its effects, and the long-term outcomes are some of them. Doctors are best equipped to handle these questions.

Overview of brain cancer treatment

Brain Cancer Treatment is generally complex. Some treatment plans will require multiple doctors.

1. The medical team usually comprises neurosurgeons, oncologists, radiation oncologists, and a general practitioner. Individuals may also want to include a dietitian, social worker, and physiotherapists.2. The nature of the treatment will depend on location, size and type of the tumor. Existing medical conditions and age are other factors that need considerations when deciding the nature of treatment.

Brain Cancer Surgery

Most individuals who have a brain tumor are required to undergo surgery.

1. Surgery helps confirm the abnormality seen in the brain scans. Nature of the tumor and method of removal are also determined at the time of surgery. Surgeons will most probably take a sample of the tumor that needs to be removed. 2. When it comes to benign tumors, most symptoms vanish with the removal of the tumor. 3. A modern method for removal of tumors can be performed without a knife and is called stereotactic surgery. The tumor is removed without opening the skull. MRI and CT scans are used to determine the exact location of the tumor within the brain. Radiation beams are focused on the tumor from different directions. Radiation helps destroy the tumor. This method is also known as ‘gamma knife’.4. Knifeless surgeries have fewer complications. The recovery time, too, is much shorter.

Before surgery, individuals may have to undergo several treatment plans.

1. Administration of dexamethasone helps reduce swelling. It is also a steroid drug.2. Treatment with anticonvulsant drugs, such as carbamazepine, relieves seizures. It also prevents its formation.3. Excessive cerebrospinal fluid around the brain can be drained away by a thick plastic tube known as a shunt. One end of the shunt is fixed in the cavity where the fluid gathers. The other end is threaded under the skin to another body part. The fluid drains into a site from where it can be easily eliminated.

Brain Cancer Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, involves usage of high-energy rays to destroy cells of the tumor. This prevents tumors from growing and multiplying.

1. Individuals who cannot undergo surgery are prescribed radiation therapy. In some cases, it may be used after surgery to destroy tumor cells.2. Radiation therapy is local in nature, which means that only targeted cells are affected. Other brain and body cells are not affected.

Palliative treatments are designed to elevate the comfort levels of the patient. It also helps ease pain. Patients can also explore the field of latest treatments by signing up for clinical trials.

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The most common form of cancer to strike people than any other form is skin cancer. All skin types can develop skin cancer but is it more common in fair-skinned people. The main cause of skin cancer is from ultraviolet radiation from spending too much time in the sun. Discovering the signs of skin cancer early, and avoiding overexposure to the sun are the two greatest ways to prevent skin cancer. Ultraviolet light, heredity and environment are the three major causes of skin cancer, mostly in children and teens. Studies have shown that adults receive half of their lifetime ultraviolet exposure when they are 20 years old.

Did you know skin is our bodies largest organ. It protects our internal organs from injury, acts as a barrier between those organs and bacteria, and prevents the loss of valuable fluid from our body. It also regulated body temperature and communicates to the brain to allow for temperature, touch, and pain sensations. You can see why it is important to keep our skin healthy and free from any signs of skin cancer symptoms. The majority of skin cancers are classified as non-melanoma or melanoma.

Non-melanoma skin cancer will develop on those areas of the body that are the most exposed to the sun. The early signs of skin cancer systems that appear on the body, face, ears, neck, lips, and the backs of our hands are where most non-melanoma skin cancer would be found. These signs of skin cancer rarely spread to another part of the body.

Skin cancer signs can be one extreme to the next, either the cancer can be slow growing or grow at a rapid rate.

Melanoma, a common skin cancer, begins in the cells that produce the skin pigment or coloring known as melanin. Melanin also protects the deepest layers of the skin from harmful radiation from the sun. Melanoma accounts for a small percentage of skin cancer, but it is far more dangerous and life threatening than non-melanoma skin cancer. The chances of surviving melanoma skin cancer are better if it is caught in the earliest stage.

The signs of skin cancer include family history of skin cancer, multiple moles, a fair complexion, exposure to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, and radium, and severe sunburn as a child.

Your body will show early signs of skin cancer symptoms, and both patients and doctors play an important role in finding signs of skin cancer. If you believe you have signs of skin cancer or have any change on the skin, consult your doctor. Any change can be a sign of skin cancer, like the size and color of a mole, or a growth that is darkly pigmented, or a new growth on the skin. If you have a change in the appearance of any bump or nodule, or if you have oozing, bleeding or scaling of the skin you should contact your doctor. Another sign of skin cancer to look for is if the color of the pigmentation spreads beyond the border of a mole or mark. Another sign of skin cancer would be a change in sensations to your skin, for example, itchiness, tenderness, or pain, it’s time to go to your doctor.

If you watch for any of the signs of skin cancer symptoms it can be prevented that is important to know. Avoid the sun for extended periods of time and make sure to practice sun safety. If you fear that you have signs of skin cancer symptoms, avoid the sun altogether between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM. Try to stay in the shade especially when rays are the strongest. To protect your skin from the sun rays it is helpful to wear a long sleeved shirt.

If you show any of the signs of skin cancer symptoms, using sunscreen is important when you are going to be in the sun. Using a sunscreen of SPF 15 or above when outdoors will help you protect your skin from skin cancer. Use sunscreen generously and always reapply if you have been in the water, are heavily perspiring, or have recently toweled off.

For prevention of developing signs of skin cancer wear a hat this will keep your face, ears, and neck shaded and provide some protection. A wide-brimmed hat is the best choice but if you are wearing a baseball cap, remember to protect your ears and neck with sunscreen.

Your eyes also need protection from developing signs of skin cancer. The best protection for the eyes and surrounding skin is to wear sunglasses. Sunglasses with 99-100 percent UV absorption are recommended when you are in the sun.

Protect yourself, and alert your doctor if you think you may be developing any signs of skin cancer.

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Prostrate cancer is a type of cancer that effects the Prostrate gland in the male reproductive system. It is the second most common type of cancer found in men as skin cancer is number one. Each year, there are over 186,000 men across our country who are diagnosed with this disease. The symptoms of Prostrate cancer are not noticed during the early stages of the condition. The tests that are used to determine if you have signs of this condition are the PSA test or the rectal examination. A cancer tumor causes the prostrate to enlarge and it starts to push in the urethra and this makes you feel different and causes you to have difficulty urinating.

It is a known fact that as men get older, their Prostrate enlarges and this causes them to have trouble with the urethra and bladder. The majority of Prostrate cancer cases occur in men who are over the age of 75, but it also can effect men at other ages. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms that we have talked about thus far, then you should call your doctor and make an appointment to get yourself checked as early detection is a key factor in fighting this disease.

Signs of this condition include the urge to urinate frequently at night and the urge to go more often, trouble starting and stopping the flow of urine, not being able to go at all, small streams of urine , pain or aches while going and blood in the urine, and pain during ejaculation.

If you feel like you are in the high risk category for developing this disease, then you should call your doctor and setup an appointment with him to discuss your condition so he can schedule some tests for you. A PSA or DRE test can be a great way to detect the cancer at an early stage before it becomes too advanced. On the negative side, these tests can sometimes cause false alarms and they can also detect other cancers that may not be a threat to you.

The bad news on Prostrate cancer is that in most of the cases, the disease cannot be detected until it spreads out beyond the glands as there are no signs and symptoms that can be detected during the early stages of the disease. This is why it is so important for you to undergo a Prostrate specific antigen examination . If cancer is detected, this means that it has already started to spread. Not all cancers grow at the same rate as some grow gradually while others grow more rapidly, so make sure that you discuss this condition with your doctor. The earlier that Prostrate cancer is detected, the more chance you have for a full recovery and a healthy life.

I hope that you found this information useful and if you would like more information on ways to live healthy, then please visit my healthy living web site where you will find great information to help you live a long and healthy life.

www.healthadmire.com

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Breast cancer is traditionally thought of as an exclusively female-related disease. But like breast cancer in women, breast cancer in men is the uncontrolled growth of the cells of the breast tissue.

Breast cancer in men can be just as dangerous as breast cancer in women. More than 1,700 men are diagnosed with male breast cancer each year. But because men often wait to report the symptoms of male breast cancer, the disease is more likely to have spread, leaving many men with less hope that treatment will lead to recovery.

Breast cancer in men accounts for approximately one percent of cases of breast cancer and about 0.2 percent of all malignancies in men, according to The National Cancer Institute. In women, breast cancer represents 26 percent of all cancers. However, all of the types of breast cancer seen in women can also occur in men, although some are quite rare.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that breast cancer in men results in approximately 480 deaths in men compared to more than 40,000 women who die of breast cancer each year.

The survival rate for men is lower than for women. Men have very little breast tissue and do not typically receive mammograms.

Also, men are not taught to do regular breast self-examination. No one knows the exact cause of breast cancer, but risk factors include age, family history of breast cancer, changes in the appearance of the breast and race. Breast cancer is diagnosed more often in White women than Latina, Asian and African American women.

Since breast cancer is 100 times more common among women, the general public does not hear much about breast cancer in men. Many people are unaware that men can develop breast cancer, and neither individual men themselves nor their physicians regularly examine men’s breasts.

Furthermore, when men discover signs of breast cancer, they tend to delay before seeing a physician. This is the main reason why medical researchers have a hard time studying breast cancer in men and the effect it has on the male population. Men do not believe they are susceptible to the disease.

For instance, actor Richard Roundtree, the man who personified masculinity in the iconoclastic blaxploitaion film Shaft, discovered a lump in his right breast in the 1970s. It was cancer.

“When I got the news, I was shocked,” said Roundtree, who has worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation which raises breast cancer awareness among women and men, as well as funds for research. “I thought I couldn’t possibly have breast cancer. Men dont get this, Roundtree once said in a USA Today interview. The actor was fortunate to catch his cancer early and received chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and a mastectomy.

Another celebrity to have had male breast cancer is Peter Criss, a founding member of the rock band KISS, who calls himself the luckiest man in the planet. Criss said getting medical treatment early at the first sign of trouble saved his life.

While some men feel embarrassed because of this macho crap, Criss said surviving breast cancer was actually a blessing. He was treated before the tumor could spread and said he speaks out about breast cancer in men during National Breast Cancer Awareness month every October to raise the profile of this rare disease.

Criss, who played drums for KISS and was known as “Catman,” offered this advice to men who spot lumps in their breast: Don’t sit around playing Mr. Tough Guy. Don’t say ‘It’s going to go away.’ It might not and you might not see life anymore and how beautiful that is.”

Most cases of breast cancer in men are detected in men between the ages of 60 and 70, although the condition can develop in men of any age. A man’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is about one-tenth of one percent, or one in 1,000.

However, men with breast cancer show the same racial disparities in survival as do women with the disease, according to a study conducted at Columbia University. Medicare-age African American men with breast cancer were three times more likely to die from the disease than White men. These findings parallel those of previous studies among women, which have shown higher breast cancer mortality rates for African American women at all ages, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes between African American and White women have been reduced to access to health care, and other socioeconomic factors. Similar factors may contribute to the poor outcomes observed among African American men with breast cancer.

Among the findings related to African American men, the researchers reported that they were more likely to have later-stage disease and larger tumors than White men; African American men were 48 percent less likely to be referred to a medical oncologist and 56 percent less likely to receive chemotherapy than White men, though neither difference was significant. Five-year survival was about 90 percent among White patients but 66 percent among African American patients.

On the basis of the findings, the researchers concluded that part of the racial disparity in survival may be due to differences in treatment. Under treatment may account for the racial disparity in breast cancer survival among men.

Medical researchers have said further studies will be needed to explain clinical and biological factors contributing to racial disparities in male breast cancer. Because breast cancer in men is rare at less than one percent of cancers in men, obtaining large sample sizes has been a challenge. Most previous studies have been small, single center, retrospective series.

Early signs, however, indicate that the disease is more manageable and has higher successful treatable rates than when found in women. In many ways, the disease appears similarly in both sexes.

Symptoms of breast cancer

A painless lump, usually discovered by the patient himself, is by far the most common first symptom of breast cancer in men. Typically, the lump appears right beneath the breast, where breast tissue is concentrated.

A lump, however, is seldom the only symptom. Men are more likely than women to have nipple discharge (sometimes bloody) and signs of local spreading, including nipple retraction, fixation to the skin or the underlying tissues, and skin ulceration.

To improve the prognosis of breast cancer in men, broader efforts are needed to let men know that the disease exists and that, like other cancers, it can be cured or controlled if it is diagnosed and treated promptly.

Risk factors attributed to breast cancer.

- Age

The incidence of breast cancer in men, like in women, increases with age. The average age of men at diagnosis is close to 65, about five years older than the average age for women.

- Ethnicity

Breast cancer affects 14 African American men and eight White men in every million. Some studies also suggest that the prevalence is higher among Jewish males.

- Geography

In Egypt, breast cancer in men represents six percent of all breast cancers, and in Zambia, it accounts for 15 percent. It has been suggested that one contributing factor might be an excess of estrogen produced by parasites. Others have proposed a link with liver disease caused by malnutrition.

- Socioeconomic Status

A recent study comparing male breast cancer patients from five metropolitan areas with men of comparable backgrounds who did not have breast cancer, found that the breast cancer patients were more likely to be college graduates and employed as professionals or managers.

- Heredity

Several researchers have reported two or more cases of breast cancer in men within a single family. Several of these reports have involved two brothers; one involved three brothers; and another described breast cancer in a man, his father and his uncle.

- Hormones

Abnormal hormonal activity, a factor that has been linked to the development of female breast cancer, could play a role in the development of male breast cancer as well. Several disorders with a hormonal component have been associated with an increased risk of male breast cancer, and numerous studies suggest that men with breast cancer display abnormal patterns of hormone metabolism and excretion.

- Treatment

The treatment for male breast cancer is generally similar to the treatment of female breast cancer. The basic therapy for cancer that shows no signs of distant spreading is surgery. In advanced stages, it is hormonal and chemotherapy. The small number of men who develop breast cancer makes it unlikely that large prospective trials can ever be undertaken to compare various therapies. It is possible, nonetheless, that institutions that see more than the usual number of cases could collaborate in developing a fund of reliable information. In the meantime, it is important that individual physicians and surgeons keep careful records to document the cases of the several hundred men who develop breast cancer each year in the U.S.

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