Cancer Resources

Staging is the practice physicians employ to measure the size and location of a patient’s cancer. Detecting the cancer stage is one of the most significant factors in choosing treatment alternatives. Some tests might be done to assist stage breast cancer including clinical breast examinations, biopsy, and particular imaging tests like a chest x-ray, mammogram, bone scan, CT scan, and MRI scan. Blood tests are employed to assess a woman’s overall health and identify whether the cancer has extended to particular areas frequently follow imaging tests.

Breast cancer staging is convoluted, and the classification system at times alters as doctors find out more in relation to breast cancer. All the numbers and letters could be perplexing, but these facts assist you and your doctors understand as much as possible regarding your cancer.

Even though breast cancer staging is a complicated classification system that could alter as physicians learn more about the disease, it is useful for patients to know what factors physicians deem when identifying a diagnosis. Continue reading ‘The Functions of Breast Cancer Staging’ »

You’ve been diagnosed with cancer and are still reeling from the news. I still remember that period, even though I’m now a 10-year survivor. Your family and friends, who you assumed would be your rocks during this experience, are almost as upset and haven’t been able to provide the support you so badly need. Is a support group the answer?

One of the most famous and influential studies of the efficacy of support groups was conducted by Dr. David Spiegel, a Stanford University psychiatrist. Dr. Spiegel found that breast cancer patients randomly placed in weekly support groups for one year lived markedly longer than controls — patients randomly assigned only to regular medical care.

The study, once touted as the gold standard in research about support groups and survivors, has since been challenged. To confirm the once heralded results, Spiegel and a team of researchers from Stanford designed another study, to replicate their earlier findings that intensive group therapy extended survival times of women with metastatic breast cancer.

Their results? They found that the earlier finding that longer survival was associated with supportive expressive group therapy was not replicated. They also said that although it is possible that psychosocial effects on survival are relevant to a small subsample of women, further research was required to investigate subgroup differences. Continue reading ‘Cancer Support Groups – The Pros and Cons of Joining and Attending Them During Your Recovery’ »

Skin is our largest organ and one that is not immune to developing cancerous cells. Skin cancer develops when damaged cells start growing and dividing uncontrollably in the skin. This form of cancer is the most prevalent with more than one million cases in the United States diagnosed each year. Here we will cover some of the commonly asked questions.

What Are The Different Forms of Skin Cancer?

There are different types of skin cancer with three forms accounting for almost all of the diagnosed cases. They are:

• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)- Accounting for nearly 80% of skin cancer, BCC develops in the basal cells which are located in the lowest layer of the epidermis. It is commonly found on areas of the body regularly exposed to the sun such as your face, head and upper body. Signs of BCC include skin that appears as a sore that repeatedly heals and re-opens, a slightly elevated pink growth, patch of irritated skin that is red in color and/or shiny translucent skin. This type of cancer does not commonly spread but should be treated to protect surrounding tissue. Continue reading ‘The Lowdown on Skin Cancer’ »

The Prostate Gland

A healthy Human prostate gland is slightly larger than a walnut. It surrounds the urethra just below the bladder and can be felt during a rectal exam. Within the prostate, the urethra coming from the bladder is called the prostatic urethra and merges with the two ejaculatory ducts coming from the seminal vesicles.
As part of the male reproductive system, the function of the prostate is to store and secrete a slightly alkaline (pH 7.29) fluid, milky or white in appearance, that usually constitutes 25-30% of the volume of the semen along with spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid. The alkalinity of semen helps neutralize the acidity of the vaginal tract, prolonging the lifespan of sperm.

The prostate also contains some smooth muscles that help expel semen during ejaculation. Many clinical problems associated with the prostate gland, which are quite common, and may happen to men of all ages, include the following:

Prostatitis: Prostate infections that can be brief or long lasting, mild to severe, easy, or difficult to treat.

Enlarged Prostate: Enlarged prostate also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a non malignant growth of the prostate and usually happens to men as they age, although younger men have been known to have this condition.

Prostate Cancer: Prostate cancer is the number two killer of men in the western world, second only to lung cancer. It does grow slowly allowing for detection and treatment. Unfortunately once the cancer cells reach a critical mass within the prostate, they can quickly metastasize to other parts of the body. Bones, kidneys, liver, brain, lungs, and spinal cord can become affected before the disease is detected. A simple blood test called a PSA can detect prostate cancer in its earliest stages, and all men should have this test as part of their annual exam. Continue reading ‘The Prostate Gland and You’ »

Ovarian cysts are fluids entrapped in follicular sacs. Any follicular sac having a diameter of about two centimeters are already considered an ovarian cyst. Women in any age group can suffer this kind of condition, but it is most frequently developed during the child-bearing years. Possible risk factors associated with the development of ovarian cysts are irregular menstrual cycles, previous experience with ovarian cysts, infertility and early development of menstruation which starts from the age of eleven. Hormonal imbalances are also suspected to contribute to the risks and also tamoxifen therapy in breast cancer patients are believed to have a hand with the occurrence of ovarian cysts.

Most women who suffer the burden of ovarian cysts experience irregular menstrual periods, nausea and vomiting, bloating, and breast tenderness. Individuals vary in their symptoms but they should know when to seek medical help. Fever, weight loss and anemia are just some of the symptoms that should indicate medical intervention. Continue reading ‘Ovarian Cysts Treatment That Actually Works’ »

One of the most talked about risks for developing skin cancer besides excessive exposure to the sun is having moles. Many people are afraid that because they have moles they are at a higher risk for skin cancer.

It is true that having more than the average amount of moles, or having atypical moles (dysplastic nevi or moles larger than a pencil eraser) does increase your risk for skin cancer it’s not all that comes into play and there are steps you can take to decrease certain risk factors you have.

While you cannot change your skin type (fair, medium, or dark skinned,) your family history of skin cancer, or reverse the sunburns you’ve had in the past you can take safe, effective steps and decrease your risk. Continue reading ‘Does Removing a Mole Decrease Skin Cancer Risks?’ »

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