Cancer Resources

Try a little experiment next time you’re out and about. Stop any woman on the street. It doesn’t matter if the woman is of Asian, Indian, European or African descent, any random woman will do. Ask her if she knows someone who either has had or has survived breast cancer. Odds are she does. She may have had it herself. Or, it might be her mother, her sister, her best friend or even her daughter. Despite advances in early detection, prevention and cure, those two words still strike fear into the hearts of women all over the world.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Offices and schools all over the U.S. will hold “Denim Day” on October 2. Runners in Houston will “race for the cure” in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Walkers in San Francisco and Atlanta will “walk for the cure” in two- or three-day walkathons. Talk show hosts will mention the significance of the month. Yogurt manufacturers will run campaigns to collect pink lids. Pen makers and cleaning supply manufacturers will donate part of the purchase price of select pink items to breast cancer research. During October, breast cancer will be front and center in our national awareness. Continue reading ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Is Your Heart Into It?’ »

In most cases, it’s not the cancer itself but the treatment that causes low platelets. Chemotherapy can make platelet counts fall because it targets cells that grow rapidly. Tumor cells grow and divide quickly, but so do the cells in the bone marrow that produce red blood cells and platelets. Radiation can also cause a low platelet count (also called thrombocytopenia), especially radiation to the pelvic area, because there’s a higher proportion of bone marrow in the pelvic bones. But some cancers, particularly lymphoma and leukemia, can lower platelet production if they spread to the bone marrow.

There are medications called cell growth factors that can be given along with chemo or radiation to prevent blood counts from dropping. The growth factor that works for low platelets is called oprelvekin (brand name Neumega). There’s a risk of side effects with this medication, though, so the doctor will decide whether to prescribe it based on her assessment of the patient’s risk of developing a low platelet count. The doctor will also consider whether he has heart problems, because Neumega’s side effects include fluid retention and heart palpitations — both of which can worsen heart conditions. Other side effects include diarrhea and other digestive issues.

That’s the big question, and the answer is: probably within three to four weeks. Doctors can’t make an accurate prediction because platelet count depends on many factors, including the type of cancer, type of treatment — particularly the type and dosage of chemo — and a patient’s general state of health. One thing to keep in mind is that a patient’s platelet count generally won’t drop immediately after chemo; it usually takes a week or two. This is because chemo doesn’t kill off the platelets already in the bloodstream, which are mature and aren’t dividing rapidly. It kills off the cells forming in the marrow, and therefore there’s a delayed response, with the lowest platelet counts (called the nadir) usually occurring seven to 14 days after chemo. After that, a patient’s body will begin regenerating platelets at a rate of approximately 10 percent a day. (Platelets have a life span of eight to ten days, so, on any given day, approximately 10 percent are being lost and replaced.) But some types of cancer and some types of treatment suppress the production of platelets, so the rebuilding process can be much slower. Continue reading ‘Understanding Low Platelets’ »

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Malignant Melanoma can be cured in 95% of cases if detected early (this is what I have been told). That last part is the real kicker. EARLY!

I am here to tell you that moles are not the only source of this deadly skin cancer. I am not a doctor, that will spill out all kinds of facts and figures and percentages, but a grieving sister.

I lost my brother this past April to Melanoma Skin Cancer, and I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep a check on your own body. After all we are responsible for our own health. My brother was only 48 years old, but was a redhead with fair skin, he knew about the signs and symptoms and risks of melanoma, and how to watch for changing moles.

But what happened to him, was a little different. He noticed a small thin cut on his thigh while in the shower. He couldn’t remember cutting himself, but he said it was almost like a thin paper cut. The next day, it started to form an ugly scab. He thought nothing of it, until the scab got a bit more 3D looking, and dark, then it came off and started all over again. Continue reading ‘Melanoma Skin Cancer – If You Thought Moles Were the Only Symptom, Then You Had Better Read This’ »

Treatment for prostate cancer is extensive from my estimation. But this does not mean you have to use only one method to help you out.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers that affect 1 out of 6 men in the United States alone. Older men are more prone to this disease. In fact, 65% of sufferers of this condition are over 65 years old.

This disease happens when the cells located in the prostate increases in number. Normally, our cells follow a regular life cycle. But when these cells do not follow that life cycle and they grow uncontrollably this leads way to the production of cells that are more than usual. Continue reading ‘Treatment For Prostate Cancer – Which One is the Best?’ »

Have you ever wondered if you have ovarian cysts? If lately, you have been feeling uncomfortable signs such as lower back pains and aches in the legs, breast tenderness, menstrual period which is irregular, nausea coupled with vomiting, pain in the lower abdomen, pain while having sex, having difficulty in urination, and sudden unexplained weight gain, you should probably be thinking if you already have it.

Ovarian cysts are any fluid filled bodies in the ovary which can be as small as a pea or as big as a cantaloupe.

But you don’t have to worry because most ovarian cysts are benign which means that they are not cancerous and dangerous to your body. In reality, 95 percent of cysts are not really harmful and some will go away naturally.

The cysts are detected during the annual pap smear or during routine examination when the gynecologist feels the ovaries to detect any swelling in them. Continue reading ‘What You Need to Know About Ovarian Cysts Cures That Actually Work’ »