What Are the Symptoms of Lung Cancer?

By Lance Winslow

Lung cancer is probably one of the most unfortunate types of cancers, and it can be one of the most painful as well. Generally, it starts with a tumor in the windpipes or bronchial tube and then spreads. You need to know the symptoms, as that is very important to catching it early on.

According to the; Cancer Reference Book, the symptoms of lung cancer are:

An ever present cough is one symptom of lung cancer. But a cough does not necessarily mean you have cancer obviously. It is the chronic nature of the cough that you need to watch for, one that is not part of a cold or the flu. Folks that smoke and cannot stop coughing all the time are already at high risk and they must get looked at soon if not sooner. These are the first sign or symptoms attributed to lung cancer.

In the next stages of lung cancer you can expect someone to show such symptoms trouble in breathing or shortness of breath. They will have blood in their saliva as well. They may also get pneumonia. In the more severe stages they will have pain in their chest and it will be relatively constant, sometimes overbearing.

Also in later stages the lung cancer victim will lose body mass, have an extreme shortness of breath and may not be able to swallow either. Fluid will also be ever present in the chest cavity, and it is really a tough go.

One thing that all doctors who see lung patients would like to tell folks is; Stop Smoking Now!

The Top 5 Ways to Prevent Lung Cancer

By Raj Iyer

Lung cancer takes a huge toll on the healthcare resources and also in terms of loss of hours at the workplace. Lung cancer accounts for more than a million deaths annually. Knowing what are the risk factors for lung cancer and preventing the same can go a long way in reducing the number of deaths from lung cancer.

Here are 5 sure shot ways of reducing the incidence of lung cancer.

1. STOP smoking NOW: Smoking causes 87% of all lung cancers and quitting smoking has several benefits chief among which is preventing lung cancer. If you are a smoker you should consider quitting now and if that is difficult get some help but do please quit smoking.

2. Fruits and Vegetables: Your diet should include a large portion of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain anti-oxidants and flavonoids that help protect the DNA of cells and also repair damaged cells.

3. Get your homes tested for Radon: Radon is a breakdown product of Uranium. Radon is an inert gas and cannot be seen, felt, smelled or tasted. As more and more houses are getting built over Uranium deposits that occur naturally in the soil it is a must that your homes are tested for Radon levels. Radon is a strong risk factor for lung cancer.

4. Workplace exposure: Knowing what you are being exposed to in the workplace is a must. Gasoline, diesel exhaust, arsenic, beryllium. Vinyl chloride, nickel chromates, coal products, mustard gas, and Chloromethyl ethers are all carcinogens and can be found in some work environments. Fumes, dust and chemicals are all too common in the workplace and talk to your employer about limiting your exposure to these noxious agents.

5. Passive smoking: Second-hand smoke is smoke that is given out by a smoker or smoke from a lit cigar or cigarette. This contains over 60 known carcinogens that interfere with normal cell development and leads to subsequent lung cancer.

Follow these 5 steps today and enjoy a life free from lung cancer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raj_Iyer

Mesothelioma Cancer and Law

By Luke Knepper

Mesothelioma Cancer? What?

Yep, that's right. That crazy garbled word you couldn't pronounce if you tried, mesothelioma, that's a type of cancer. What is it? You can get it from exposure to asbestos, which I will talk about later. Well basically harmful cancer cells grow in the mesothelium, which is the lining that covers pretty much all of your internal organs (the ones that are key to your survival, like your heart and lungs). So, in a way, it's like termites in a house, because they appear, grow, and ultimately destroy what protects what is most valuable to you. You could also think of it as the IRS with your money.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

This is a very nasty disease to have, and you probably wouldn't want it. The most common symptom is that you'll have trouble breathing, which is called shortness of breath, because the cancer usually hurts your lungs. It develops fluid between the lungs and the chest wall, which makes it hard on your lungs. You are also going to lose weight if you have the cancer. You might also have chest pain and other abdominal pain. Other symptoms include blood clots and other blood problems. To detect it, you're gonna need either a chest x-ray or a CT scan, both which you can get from a hospital or just your normal doctor. Early diagnosis is key because it's extremely difficult to treat. They try to use techniques like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and even surgery some times, but the prognosis (chances of healing) are really low.

Mesothelioma and the Law

Why should you care about Mesothelioma cancer? Well first of all, you want to know what to do if you get it. Secondly, there's quite a bit of money involved. You can get Mesothelioma cancer from exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a type of mineral or rock that has some pretty cool properties. It's super strong, resistant to heat, and an electricity insulator. It used to be used a lot in ovens and other stuff. Now they know you can get the cancer from simple exposure to asbestos, even on someone else's clothes. There's a whole international deal with liability because in each case they try to decide who's at fault for exposure to asbestos. There is a high demand for Mesothelioma lawyers from people who are looking for compensation for their cancer. There are many lawsuits and other litigation going on around the world today, so if you're a lawyer working with Mesothelioma cancer or asbestos, you're in luck.

Cancer Basic

By Calvin C

Cancer is a disease of the body cells in which their functioning and reproduction is uncontrolled. When a cell turns cancerous or malignant, it will not work properly, and it divides rapidly to produce more cells. A collection of cancerous cells is called a tumor. These cells are able to break away and are carried in the blood to other parts of the body, where they continue to grow.

Cancer can affect people of all ages, including fetuses, but the amount of risk increases with age. Cancer causes about 14% of the deaths all over the world. According a survey held in USA, 2.3 million people died of cancer in USA in 2007. Cancer can also affect all animals.

Usually, cells are replaced as they become old and inefficient. The development of these new cells is controlled so that the new cells are identical to the old ones. In cancer, so many abnormal cells are produced that they interfere with normal body functions and if untreated may cause very severe illness or death. The causes are not clear, but chemicals such as tar from cigarettes and many other substances are known to change normal cells into cancer cells. Cancer can be treated by surgery, or by very powerful DRUGS, or by radiation which damages the affected cells. Though people still die from cancer, many are surviving due to the improvement and success of modern treatments.

Some of the terms related to cancer are: Carcinogen- A cancer causing substance. It attacks normal cells, and may eventually cause some of them to turn cancerous i.e. uncontrolled growth of cells.

Carcinoma- Cancer that starts to grow in tissue that forms the skin and lining of inner organs.

Sarcoma- Cancer that starts to grow in the tissue that forms the body's supporting structures, such as the bones and the cartilage.

Prostate Cancer

By Kelly Moore

Cancer can occur in any part of the body - lungs, intestine, rectum, breast or prostate. Prostate cancer develops as a malignant tumor that starts in the prostate gland. There is a possibility of the cancer spreading from the prostate to the lymph nodes, other organs or bones through metastasis.

This is the second most common type of cancer in men, which can lead to death. However, with the improvement of medicine, survival rates in patients have improved considerably. The cause of prostate cancer has never been found out, however, there are some risk factors that induce prostate cancer.

It has been found out that with the increase of age, the risk of prostate cancer tends to increase. Having family members with prostate cancer increases the risk of developing prostate cancer. Statistics show that African-American men have a higher risk of prostate cancer than Caucasian men. And of course, obese men are more prone to prostate cancer.

There are no specific symptoms for prostate cancer; however as it grows, men tend to suffer from pain in the lower back, upper thighs and pelvis. Other symptoms of advanced prostate cancer are complications in urinating like increase in frequency, interrupted flow, finding it difficult to stop or start urinating, presence of blood in the urine and the presence of pain and burning sensation.

It is suggested that men over the age of 50, have to take a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test every year, along with a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) to find out the presence of prostate cancer. In a DRE, the physician tests for an enlarged prostate, lumps or any abnormal texture by inserting a lubricated and gloved finger into the rectum.

The prostate cells produce PSA, and with the PSA test, its level in the blood stream is determined. Men having PSA levels higher than 4ng/mL have a higher chance of prostate cancer. However, sometimes men with low PSA levels may contract prostate cancer; it all depends on the normal PSA level of a man. If it was always on the higher side, then there is not much to worry; this is why it is better to keep track of PSA levels. It is also possible to diagnose prostate cancer through transrectal ultrasound and biopsies. It is through a biopsy that prostate cancer is correctly diagnosed.

The doctor suggests treatment for prostate cancer depending on its severity. It can be surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or watchful waiting. Through hormonal therapy, the effect of male hormones like testosterone is blocked to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. However, this is not a cure; it just controls the disease.

With the surgical treatment, prostate glands and surrounding lymph glands are removed, depending on the severity of the condition. However this may cause hot flashes, loss of interest in sex, impotence and other problems in the patient. Sometimes, radiation is suggested where x-rays are passed through an external machine or through radioactive isotopes inside the body. The doctor may also suggest chemotherapy where the patient is prescribed medication that is administered either orally or through injections.

However, since prostate cancer attacks older men, they are usually advised watchful waiting. This is best if the tumor is small, is expected a low growth rate or when medical treatment proves to be rather risky and may lead to death. The patient has to be monitored frequently with this treatment, but no treatment is administered.

Are You In High Risk Of Getting Breast Cancer?

By Julie Walker

No one knows the exact causes of breast cancer. Doctors can seldom explain why one woman gets breast cancer and another does not.

Doctors do know that bumping, bruising, or touching the breast does not cause breast cancer. And breast cancer is not contagious. No one can "catch" this disease from another person.

However, research has shown that women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease. Studies have found the following risk factors for breast cancer:

1. The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older.

2. A woman who has had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting this disease in her other breast.

3. A woman's risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer, especially at a young age (before age 40).

4. The older a woman is when she has her first child, the greater her chance of breast cancer. Women who began menstruation (had their first menstrual period) at an early age (before age 12), went through menopause late (after age 55), or never had children also are at an increased risk.

5. Breast cancer occurs more often in white women than Latina, Asian, or African American women.

6. Women who had radiation therapy to the chest (including breasts) before age 30 are at an increased risk of breast cancer. This includes women treated with radiation for Hodgkin's lymphoma. Studies show that the younger a woman was when she received radiation treatment, the higher her risk of breast cancer later in life.

7. Older women who have mostly dense not fatty) tissue on a mammogram(x-ray of the breast) are at increased risk of breast cancer.

8. After menopause, women who are obese have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Being obese means that the woman has an abnormally high proportion of body fat. Because the body makes some of its estrogen (a hormone) in fatty tissue, obese women are more likely than thin women to have higher levels of estrogen in their bodies. High levels of estrogen may be the reason that obese women have an increased risk of breast cancer. Also, some studies show that gaining weight after menopause increases the risk of breast cancer.

9. Women who are physically inactive throughout life appear to have an increased risk of breast cancer. Being physically active may help to reduce risk by preventing weight gain and obesity.

It is helpful to be aware of risk factors. But it's also important to keep in mind that most of the women who have these risk factors do not get breast cancer.

A woman who thinks she may be at risk of breast cancer should discuss this concern with her health care provider. The health care provider may suggest ways to reduce the risk and can plan an appropriate schedule for checkups.

The above information is found in Ms Yvonne Lee, internationally acclaimed book "To All Women Who Want To Enhance Their Breasts Naturally, But Don't Know How To Start". It describes and details the most important breast enhancement techniques from every corner of the world. Author Yvonne Lee, provides an unbiased pro-and-con analysis of each technique, in addition to practical information such as how and where to get it, cost, and potential impact on insurance coverage.

Prostrate Health Tips

By Richard Haigh

Prostate Health Tips :

Tip 1

If you suspect that you have prostate cancer. Go to your doctor and ask for a Prostate Specific Antigen test. This is the common test used to detect the disease.

The systems of the disese are

1. A general pain in the prostate area
2. A need to urinate frequently, especially at night time
3. Difficulty in urinating, both in starting or holding back
4. Interrupted or weak flow of urine
5. The presence of blood and in urine and semen
6. Pain or burning sensation when urinating
7. Erectile dysfunction (inability to have or sustain an erection)
8. Uncomfortable or painful ejaculation
9. A frequent pain or stiffness in the upper thighs, hips, or lower back.

Some of the mentioned symptoms can also be related to other reproductive diseases other than prostate cancer. Ask your doctor.

Tip 2

Use Soy based products in your diet. Soy is very rich in isoflavones: go to http://www.althealth.co.uk/services/info/ for more information.

Although the benefit of isoflavones to treat prostate cancer is not yet fully proven, their general health benefits are undoubtedly beneficial to overall health, which is what is needed.

Using Soy does not have to cost you an arm and a leg in your weekly shopping, you can make your own. See http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/?p=375 for recipes or see http://www.wheatgrasskits.com/soymilk.html for soy making machines.

Tip 3
You may very well enjoy this tip: have a single glass of red wine every evening. Drink ten cups of green tea, which is thought to contain an adequate amount of polyphenol to obstruct the growth of prostate cancer cells.

Tipp 4

Get to love the humble tomato for it contains antioxidants, which can help reduce the risk of the prostate cancer developing. In the winter months when fresh tomatoes are not in season, use tomato sauce or tinned tomato; cooking does not affect the antioxidants. You can also have watermelon for desert for a double dose of Lycopene.

Tip 5

It is vital to make sure you are and remain at your ideal weight when it comes to prostate cancer. Being very overweight or obese makes it very tough to become aware of prostate cancer. There is also the fact that not being the right weight has a harmful effect on the outcome of the disease. They are many diets and ways of losing weight, I would suggest trying one of the two products the Aloe Store. Hoodia Super Slim or Aloe weight loss diet pack . Click on http://www.aloeverexpress.com

Tip 6

For a neutral balanced lifestyle weight management and fitness are vital and should be part of your overall strategy to fight prostate (or any other sickness for that matter). This means being sensibly active and eat a variety of foods particularly fruits and vegetables, you are far less likely to become ill. What ever we are talking about: having a cold or getting cancer, people who exercise and eat the right food are at a great advantage. Build up your immune system and maintain it: Drink Aloe Vera to do this Click on http://www.aloeveraexpress.com

Tip 7

Exercising does not necessary mean standing in the middle of a room waving your arms or legs about. You can have fun doing it and have a very good social life at the same time. Join a walking club. Go out and do whatever sport takes your fancy. The main thing is get off the couch and make a start.

Tip 8

It is key that you get serious about habitual exercises. It is highly suggested that you do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day no less than three times a week. Certainly, you should try to go beyond this bare minimum, but start there. Have a look at the following link for help: http://www.TrainerProfiles.com

Tip 9

Exercises that stretch you, will persevere the flexibility of your body and limber. Exercises that will get your heart healthy like jogging, walking, and cycling will help to burn lots of calories. If you need to build up your muscles and strengthen your body, consider resistance training.

Tip 10

Modern scientific studies have shown that pollen helps the prostate function properly. The reason is that it contains many vitamins and minerals important for glandular function. Pollen also contains testosterone, which is the essential male hormone. Warning: Asthmatics should not use bee pollen. Buy your bee pollen at http://www.aloeveraexpress.com/

Tip 11

Eat pumpkin seeds; these have been found to contain large amounts of magnesium, which the French have proven to be effective in the treatment of prostate ailments. For more information about the use of these seeds go to http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=82: they also have some very good recipes

Tip 12

It is true to say that most cases of prostate cancer grow so slowly that action is rarely needed. Most of the time it is a case of “watchful waiting”. Which means the doctor will place you under surveillance and routine testing. If the cancer reaches a point in which it becomes a danger to the patient, other treatment methods will come into play. These methods consist of radiotherapy, hormone therapy, or surgery. It is not yet even known precisely why some people get prostate cancer, but a high fat high carbohydrate diet, obesity, race and family history all play a part. It is now up to you to choose if you want to reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer. If you do have treatment for a prostate cancer, your aftercare would benefit a lot towards a speedy recovery if: you keep as mobile as possible and maintain a good level of fitness.

Tip 13

If you find you need emotional support, look for local support groups. Most major cancer centres have support groups for everyone in the community. If you are fortunate enough to live near one, you should have no troubles at all finding one on hand. However, if you don’t live near a cancer centre, you may need to talk with your doctor to get an idea of where to begin. And to finish if you think you have prostate cancer: the first thing to do is to see your doctor.

What Is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. To better understand breast cancer, it helps to understand how any cancer can develop.

Cancer occurs as a result of mutations, or abnormal changes, in the genes responsible for regulating the growth of cells and keeping them healthy. The genes are in each cell’s nucleus, which acts as the “control room” of each cell. Normally, the cells in our bodies replace themselves through an orderly process of cell growth: healthy new cells take over as old ones die out. But over time, mutations can “turn on” certain genes and “turn off” others in a cell. That changed cell gains the ability to keep dividing without control or order, producing more cells just like it and forming a tumor.

A tumor can be benign (not dangerous to health) or malignant (has the potential to be dangerous). Benign tumors are not considered cancerous: their cells are close to normal in appearance, they grow slowly, and they do not invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors are cancerous. Left unchecked, malignant cells eventually can spread beyond the original tumor to other parts of the body.

The term “breast cancer” refers to a malignant tumor that has developed from cells in the breast. Usually breast cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands, or the ducts, the passages that drain milk from the lobules to the nipple. Less commonly, breast cancer can begin in the stromal tissues, which include the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast.

       Breast Anatomy

Over time, cancer cells can invade nearby healthy breast tissue and make their way into the underarm lymph nodes, small organs that filter out foreign substances in the body. If cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they then have a pathway into other parts of the body. The breast cancer’s stage refers to how far the cancer cells have spread beyond the original tumor

Breast cancer is always caused by a genetic abnormality (a “mistake” in the genetic material). However, only 5-10% of cancers are due to an abnormality inherited from your mother or father. About 90% of breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and the “wear and tear” of life in general.

While there are steps every person can take to help the body stay as healthy as possible (such as eating a balanced diet, not smoking, limiting alcohol, and exercising regularly), breast cancer is never anyone's fault. Feeling guilty, or telling yourself that breast cancer happened because of something you or anyone else did, is not productive.

Source Article: Breastcancer.org

Stages of Breast Cancer

Expert Quote

“When you're in the midst of the diagnosis and staging process, and the tumor information is coming back in bits and pieces, at many different times, it is an extremely stressful time in your life. Uncertainty really stinks! But you will feel SO much better once you know what you're dealing with, when your treatment plan has been worked out, and you start your treatment. Only then does much of that dreadful uncertainty lift, and you finally feel that you are doing something to get rid of the problem. ”

Marisa Weiss M.D., president and founder, breast radiation oncologist, Philadelphia, PA

Cancer stage is based on the size of the tumor, whether the cancer is invasive or non-invasive, whether lymph nodes are involved, and whether the cancer has spread beyond the breast.

The purpose of the staging system is to help organize the different factors and some of the personality features of the cancer into categories, in order to:

• Best understand your prognosis (the most likely outcome of the disease)
• Guide treatment decisions (together with other parts of your pathology report), since clinical studies of breast cancer treatments that you and your doctor will consider are partly organized by the staging system
• Provide a common way to describe the extent of breast cancer for doctors and nurses all over the world, so that results of your treatment can be compared and understood

Stage 0

Stage 0 is used to describe non-invasive breast cancers, such as DCIS and LCIS. In stage 0, there is no evidence of cancer cells or non-cancerous abnormal cells breaking out of the part of the breast in which they started, or of getting through to or invading neighboring normal tissue.

Stage I

Stage I describes invasive breast cancer (cancer cells are breaking through to or invading neighboring normal tissue) in which:

• the tumor measures up to 2 centimeters, AND
• no lymph nodes are involved

Stage II

Stage II is divided into subcategories known as IIA and IIB.

Stage IIA describes invasive breast cancer in which:

• no tumor can be found in the breast, but cancer cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm), OR
• the tumor measures 2 centimeters or less and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, OR
• the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes

Stage IIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:

• the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, OR
• the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes

Stage III

Stage III is divided into subcategories known as IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC.

Stage IIIA describes invasive breast cancer in which either:

• no tumor is found in the breast. Cancer is found in axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone, OR
• the tumor is 5 centimeters or smaller and has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, OR
• the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures

Stage IIIB describes invasive breast cancer in which:

• the tumor may be any size and has spread to the chest wall and/or skin of the breast AND
• may have spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone
• Inflammatory breast cancer is considered at least stage IIIB.

Stage IIIC describes invasive breast cancer in which:

• there may be no sign of cancer in the breast or, if there is a tumor, it may be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast, AND
• the cancer has spread to lymph nodes above or below the collarbone, AND
• the cancer may have spread to axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone

Stage IV

Stage IV describes invasive breast cancer in which:

• the cancer has spread to other organs of the body -- usually the lungs, liver, bone, or brain

"Metastatic at presentation" means that the breast cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes, even though this is the first diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason for this is that the primary breast cancer was not found when it was only inside the breast. Metastatic cancer is considered stage IV.

Additional staging information

You may also hear terms such as "early" or "earlier" stage, "later," or "advanced" stage breast cancer. Although these terms are not medically precise (they may be used differently by different doctors), here is a general idea of how they apply to the official staging system:

Early stage

• Stage 0
• Stage I
• Stage II
• Some stage III

Later or advanced stage

• Other stage III
• Stage IV

Doctors use a staging system to determine how far a cancer has spread. The most common system is the TNM staging system. You may hear the cancer described by three characteristics:

• size (T stands for tumor)
• lymph node involvement (N stands for node)
• whether it has metastasized (M stands for metastasis)

The T (size) category describes the original (primary) tumor:

• TX means the tumor can't be measured or found.
• T0 means there isn't any evidence of the primary tumor.
• Tis means the cancer is "in situ" (the tumor has not started growing into the breast tissue).
• The numbers T1-T4 describe the size and/or how much the cancer has grown into the breast tissue. The higher the T number, the larger the tumor and/or the more it may have grown into the breast tissue.

The N (node involvement) category describes whether or not the cancer has reached nearby lymph nodes:

• NX means the nearby lymph nodes can't be measured or found.
• N0 means nearby lymph nodes do not contain cancer.
• The numbers N1-N3 describe the size, location, and/or the number of lymph nodes involved. The higher the N number, the more the lymph nodes are involved.

The M (metastasis) category tells whether there are distant metastases (whether the cancer has spread to other parts of body):

• MX means metastasis can't be measured or found.
• M0 means there are no distant metastases.
• M1 means that distant metastases were found.

Once the pathologist knows your T, N, and M characteristics, they are combined in a process called stage grouping, and an overall stage is assigned.

For example, a T1, N0, M0 breast cancer would mean that the primary breast tumor:

• is less than 2 centimeters across (T1)
• does not have lymph node involvement (N0)
• has not spread to distant parts of the body (M0)

This cancer would be grouped as a stage I cancer.

Breast Cancer Affecting Women

By Brenda Williams

Breast cancer can affect women and men alike and is the second most common type of cancer worldwide next to lung cancer. Breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Among women, this cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. It is more prominent in industrially developed countries than in countries not industrially developed.

There are plenty of signs or symptoms involved with detecting breast cancer. The most notable sign or symptom is the discovery of a lump. This lump usually feels different than the surrounding tissue. More than 80 percent of cases are discovered by the woman doing a self-test and finding a lump on the breast according to the Merck Manual. The first red flag discovered by doctors is through mammograms according to American Cancer Society.

If a patient finds a lump or lumps in the armpits or lymph nodes this can also be an indicator of breast cancer. Other signs are changes in the size of the breast, skin dimpling, nipple inversion or spontaneous nipple discharge. Another sign is the reshaping of it. Patients who suffer from pain can be a misleading sign . It is not normally breast cancer if a patient suffers from pain but could be other breast-related problems.

There are ways to prevent breast cancer or help to prevent the condition. Having more children, breastfeeding, and exercising three times per week for an hour each time. This exercise regimen has been found to lower the risk of cancer by up to 40 percent. High intake of soy, folic acids, and avoiding secondhand smoke also help to prevent the development of breast cancer.

The most common way for women to detect this type of cancer is through screening at a doctor's office. The screening is known as an X-ray mammography. This process is quick, accurate and readily available in most industrially developed countries. It has been estimated that mortality has been reduced between 20-30 percent because of mammography testing. Doctors worldwide recommend that women, beginning in their forties, get a yearly mammography to check for lumps.

Treatment of breast cancer, if a lump is discovered and the tumor is localized, includes surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. There is also immune therapy and hormone therapy for patients. Radiation can be used following surgery to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.

Breast cancer isn't located just in the breast. It can spread to other parts of the body, which is known as metastasis. It spreads most commonly to the lymph nodes under the arms. Breast cancer can also spread to other parts of the body via the blood vessels. It can spread to the lungs, brain, the liver and even to the bones. Almost 70 percent of the time that breast cancer spread it spreads to bones of the ribs, arms, and the legs. If this cancer is spread to the bones it is treatable but not curable.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brenda_Williams

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Cancer Fighting Foods

By Brenda Williams

It is no secret that what we choose to eat impacts our health on a daily basis. Some foods are rich in anti oxidants, and some foods are known to contain healthy amounts of beneficial bacteria. Could some foods fight abnormal cell growth that occurs when one is diagnosed with cancer? Consider these foods and the effect that they can have on the effects of cancer, as well as prevention.

Avocados have chemicals in them that are rich in antioxidants and attack free radicals within the body. Free radicals are one of the known cancer causing cells, and avocados assist in the attack of these cells. Avocados are not only good for liver cancer, but are good for fighting liver damage and contain more potassium than bananas. They block the intestinal absorption of certain fats into the body.

Nitrosamines are cancer causing substances and can lead to specific types of stomach cancer. Chili peppers and jalapenos as well other hot peppers contain the chemical capsaicin which can neutralize these cancer causing substances. Peppers have been known to have healing powers for centuries, so next time there is pasta being made put in some extra fresh peppers.

It is a common saying to eat vegetables that are rich in color, many say the greener the vegetable and richer the color the more beneficial that the vegetable is for you. Broccoli has been known to prevent colon and prostate cancer for decades and is looked upon as one of the most heart healthy vegetables due to its rich green color.

Flax is another food that has antioxidants and when the seeds are crushed beneficial oils are released. It can easily be added to a variety of foods and available at most health food stores. It is one of the highest foods that can fight cancer and protect against heart disease. Flax seeds and flax oil are some of the most common health supplements.

Garlic is good for the immune system and can increase the activity within our bodies to promote a healthy immune system and therefore is important in indirectly preventing cancerous activity within the body. Garlic has been discovered to block carcinogens and slow the development and growth of tumors. Studies have shown that those who consume garlic are at half the risk of developing many types of stomach cancer than those who do not consume the helpful root. There are certain bacteria within the stomach that have been known to cause stomach cancer and garlic protects against h. pylori - one of these cancer promoting bacterium.

Grapefruits, grapes and oranges as well as other citrus fruits can sweep carcinogens from the body - literally! Because of the high instances of vitamin c, folic acid and beta carotene eating these citrus foods can inhibit the growth of many cancer cells, including breast cancer. Grapes contain an important cancer fighting ingredient, resveratol which inhibits the enzymes and these enzymes can inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells. Citrus foods also seem to slow the growth of tumors within the body.

We are what we eat, and many times we can prevent certain illnesses, including cancer - it gives us more incentive to eat healthily.

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