The treatment for lung cancer is dependent upon the type it is and what stage it is in. Different types and different stages are handled according to what is needed for each. It also depends on what condition the patient is in physically. The options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination of these treatments. For some patients, a clinical trial may work.

Lung surgery is performed by thoracic surgeons along with a team that is specialized and highly skilled. If a patient has non-small cell lung cancer where it has not spread away from the chest, that patient can usually be treated by surgery successfully.

Using surgery for the treatment of lung cancer has several forms. These are:

* Mediastinoscopy which is a minimally invasive method of sampling the lymph nodes located on the main airway to check for the spread of a tumor.

* Thoracospy is also minimally invasive. It is done to access the chest to diagnose and treat the cancer. There are small incisions made to do this. Another name for it is VATS or video-assisted thoracic surgery.

* Wedge resection is the removal of a small part of one lung.

* Segmentectomy is the removal of part of a lobe from one lung.

* Lobectomy is the removal of a whole lobe from one lung. This is the most common type of surgical treatment of lung cancer.
 
* Sleeve resection involves removing a portion of the airway with or with adjoining the lung, and then reattaching the ends remaining to maintain tissue of the lung.

* Pneumonectomy is the removal of a lung.

When radiation treatments are used to treat lung cancer, external beam radiation is used first. A patient who is given this type of radiation does not become radioactive. This therapy will be prescribed and monitored by a radiation oncologist. The radiation oncologist will work with the patient to design the best plan of radiation for that particular patient.

Another in line for treatment of lung cancer is chemotherapy. This can include many different drugs. They can be administered by mouth, or intravenously depending on which drugs are used. A medical oncologist prescribes the chemotherapy, which may help the radiation be more effective. The doctor and patient works together to decide the best course of treatment that will be most effective and most easily tolerated by the patient.
 
Whatever course of action for treatment that is used will need to be decided upon by the oncologist. The best way for success is if the patient and doctor are working together in a co-operative way.

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Breast cancer treatment takes on many forms. Depending on the stage of the cancer as well as many other factors, recommended treatment could be any of several types. Generally, there are four types of standard treatment for breast cancer.

Surgery is an option that most patients with breast cancer choose in some form. For women who want to save their breast, a lumpectomy can be performed. This is done to remove the cancerous tissue contained in the breast. A partial mastectomy can be done to remove the cancerous tissue as well as a portion of the breast. The lymph nodes under the arm are also biopsied to be sure that everything is clear.

Breast cancer treatment by a mastectomy is radical but very often necessary. If the cancer is affecting the entire breast, it needs to be removed. This type of surgery is done to save a life rather than a breast. However, breast reconstruction is also an option. This can be performed at the time of the mastectomy or at a later time.

Besides surgery, other treatments for breast cancer include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. These have all proved effective over the years but come with some pretty heavy side effects. Chemotherapy and radiation are known to cause fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of hair, and many other unpleasant things. While these things are attacking the bad cancer cells in the body, the good cells are also being affected. Therefore, breast cancer treatment can also make the patient sick.

Another treatment for breast cancer can include entering clinical trials. These are conducted on patients with cancer to test the safety and effectiveness of a particular type of treatment. Some trials will accept patients who have already started treatment, while others will only accept patients who have not undergone any treatment. While these clinical trials may help with breast cancer, they also pave the way to adding another weapon to fight this insidious disease.

Many things affect what options are open to a person with breast cancer. Obviously, the earlier it is detected, the more successful the breast cancer treatment will be. That is why it is very important for women to have regular check ups as well as mammograms so that any abnormality can be examined and tested for cancerous tissue. Breast cancer is one of the types that CAN be defeated when all the conditions are right.

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Breast augmentation is done to increase the size of the breasts. It is done by inserting a prosthesis or silicone bag just under the breast, or under the breast and chest muscle. The bag is then filled with saline, which is salt water. The prosthesis allows the breast to increase in cup size, have a better contour, and offer more cleavage.

Ultimately the size of the breast is the personal decision by the patient. For someone who has a definite idea of what she wants in the way of a cup size, it helps to not only describe what she wants but to also have a picture of it so the surgeon can see it.

As breast augmentation is surgery, there is always a risk or two involved. Some of these include:

* Infection – Although it IS rare, when it happens it can be very troublesome. If the infection does not respond quickly to antibiotics, the implant will need to be removed.

* Bleeding – If bleeding following surgery cannot be controlled, the implant must be surgically removed, the wound cleansed, and the implant replaced.

* Capture Contracture – This is hardening of the breast along with distortion.

* Asymmetry – Sometimes the implant slips out of place.

* Mammography Problems – At times the implant will block views during a mammography.

* Calcification – When an implant from breast augmentation has been in a patient for several years, there is always a chance that calcifications will form around the scar.

* Deflation – This is self explanatory. Sometimes things happen that cause a puncture in the implant. This will cause it to deflate.

Even though there are risks involved with surgical implants, most women are quite happy with the results. There is a certain amount of self esteem that comes from being able to look in a mirror and see that your chest profile looks as nice and impressive as other women. It is important to feel good about yourself and breast augmentation can make that happen.

Many times well meaning friends and family members will try to talk you out of getting breast implants. While they are most likely only concerned for your health and well being, as long as you have all the facts and a really good doctor, the chances of your having any problems are not significant.

When choosing your doctor, it is always advisable to do some research. Word of mouth is always a great way to find a good doctor but do your own investigation, too. If your findings agree with the personal experiences of your friends, you have most likely found yourself a doctor.

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