breast cancer symptoms

Help Prevent A Heart Attack: Get Moving!

2010-01-03T11:57:00.000-08:00

Summary:
Preventing a heart attack should be one of the things that concerns you most. After all, heart disease and heart attacks are some of the leading causes of death among people these days. And while it is obviously not possible to completely prevent having a heart attack, there are several important ways that you can help guard yourself against suffering a heart attack.

Tired of hearing advice about heart attack prevention? I guess people like me will continue to give advice ...

Preventing a heart attack should be one of the things that concerns you most. After all, heart disease and heart attacks are some of the leading causes of death among people these days. And while it is obviously not possible to completely prevent having a heart attack, there are several important ways that you can help guard yourself against suffering a heart attack.

Tired of hearing advice about heart attack prevention? I guess people like me will continue to give advice about ways to prevent heart attacks until the numbers of people suffering the effects of heart attacks decreases significantly. If you have not taken seriously the warnings and advice you have heard, seen and read, then please read on to learn about simple ways of heart attack prevention for almost everyone.

Because the heart is a muscle it can be worked out and conditioned just like all of the other muscles in the body. Just like we can distinguish between people who are in good shape and people who are in poor shape, so we can distinguish between hearts that are in good shape or poor shape. One of the best ways to maintain the health of your heart and hence to prevent a heart attack is to get in shape. Exercise is so, so important in trying to prevent a heart attack from taking your life.

Taking the time for exercise and getting in shape should be high on your list of priorities. The three biggest excuses I hear from people about why they are not in better shape are that they are too tired, too busy, and that exercising costs too much money. When a possible heart attack is on the line, none of these three excuses seem valid enough to stop you from getting your body in good shape.

Being too tired to exercise is ironic in that exercise is one of the best ways to gain energy and to help people sleep well at night. Therefore, the best way to have the energy to exercise is simply to start exercising. Don't immediately jump up from the couch and run a marathon, but look for small and quick ways to incorporate exercise into your day. Even a small amount of brisk walking will do wonders in helping you prevent a heart attack.

Making the claim that you do not have enough time in your day to exercise is simply a reflection of what you care most about. Look at your days and see what you are making time for. Eating out, sleeping in, watching television? If you desire to really get in shape and to help prevent a heart attack, then making fifteen or twenty minutes a day will become easy and very doable.

Getting in shape does not have to cost you a lot of money. In fact, almost everyone I know can get outside and go for a walk for free. No one says that preventing a heart attack requires you to have a membership at the most expensive and exclusive athletic club. Heart attack prevention can be as simple as throwing on a pair of old sneakers and getting out for a walk or a jog.

Your heart is worth it. Regardless of the sacrifices you have to make in order to get in shape, preventing a heart attack is one of the most loving things you can do for yourself and the ones you love.

Heart Failure: Frequently Asked Questions

2010-01-03T11:55:00.000-08:00

Summary:
According to the American Heart Association, nearly five million Americans are living with heart failure and 550,000 new causes are diagnosed each year.

According to the American Heart Association, nearly five million Americans are living with heart failure and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Heart failure is a serious condition that often is misunderstood. The questions below are intended to help clear up some misperceptions about this condition and its complications.

Q. What is heart failure?

A. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop. It is a serious condition in which the heart doesn't pump blood through your body as well as it should.

Your heart still beats, but it pumps less nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body. Because of this, heart failure can make you feel tired or weak. Heart failure also can cause swelling and fluid buildup in your legs, feet and even your lungs. Fluid buildup in your lungs often is referred to as "congestion," which is why heart failure is sometimes called "congestive heart failure (CHF)." At times, patients may require hospitalization to treat a worsening, or an acute episode, of their heart failure symptoms.

Q. What are the symptoms of heart failure?

A. Some symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, frequent coughing, increased heart rate, heart palpitations (your heart may feel like it is racing), fatigue, weakness, swollen ankles and legs, loss of appetite and weight gain. Patients who experience acute episodes of their heart failure symptoms also may have extreme shortness of breath that leaves them gasping for air. Since they may have fluid buildup in their lungs, they may feel as though they are drowning.

Q. How are acute episodes of heart failure treated?

A. There are some common intravenous (IV) drugs that are commonly given to patients in hospitals to treat acute episodes of heart failure. They include diuretics, inotropes and IV vasodilators.

Please talk to your healthcare professional for more information.

Heart Attacks, Silent And Deadly

2010-01-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

Summary:
Heart attacks can creep up on you when you least expect it. Are you prepared?

Heart disease is one of the nation’s deadliest killers taking the lives of almost one million Americans each year. Each of us has a different susceptibility to cardiovascular disease. Your fitness level and what you eat plays a major role. Approximately 64 million Americans have cardiovascular disease, and here’s the shocker; as many as 40 percent of those who suffer a heart attack have no symptoms. A heart attack may occur due to heart disease but not always and although it is the leading cause of death it can be prevented. Women usually have fewer heart attacks than men but after menopause women catch up to men in the number of heart attacks experienced.

So, what are the factors that lead to heart disease?
The most commonly recognized risk factors are:

1 Stress
2 Smoking
3 High levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)
4 Low levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol)
5 High Blood-pressure.
6 Obesity
7 Diabetes
8 Destructive form of amino acid called homocysteine
9 Heredity

The heart is the most crucial organ to sustain life and to keep it ticking efficiently, our priority should be to prevent its deterioration. The simplest Mantra for prevention of heart disease is; eat well, exercise and adopt a healthy lifestyle. This has been said countless times before and the simple truth is that those who do follow through with the advice enjoy a much healthier and longer life.

NOTE: Always check with your physician first before changing or implementing any sort of a diet or exercise program especially if you're taking prescription or over the counter medicines.

Some factors to consider when adopting a healthier lifestyle include but not limited to: (also check with your physician)

1 Cut down on dietary fat and cholesterol

2 Check your blood pressure regularly

3 Don’t smoke (fortunately there are a lot of resources available for those wanting to quit).

4 Learn to meditate, this will lessen stress.

5 Exercise - Being sedentary is one of the biggest risk factors for heart attacks.

6 Control your weight - If you're obese

7 Control your diabetes

Symptoms of a heart attack

NOTE: These symptoms may or may not indicate a heart attack. In any case medical help should be sought immediately because some heart attacks are the ’silent type’.

The American Heart Association lists them as:

-Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing and excruciating pain in the chest.
-Pain spreading to shoulder, neck, and arms. Specifically left sided neck and arm pain.
-Light headedness, fainting.
-Shortness of breath with little exertion.
-Profuse sweating.

The first hour is very critical. So, don’t waste time thinking its gas or flatulence. Act immediately and call 911 don’t waste time calling your doctor, he’ll most likely ask you to call 911 anyway. Heart disease can be easily prevented it's just a matter of implementing a healthier lifestyle.

Pheochromocytoma Symptoms Diagnosis And Treatment

2010-01-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

Summary:
Pheochromocytoma signs symptoms diagnosis investigations treatment and management. Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of Adrenal glands

Pheochromocytoma is an important cause of secondary Hypertension. We have adnenal gland located at upper portion of each kidney. It is divided into adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. Pheochromocytoma is a tumor of Adrenal Medulla. Normal function of adrenal medulla is to produce epinephrine or adrenaline. Which is responsible for controlling blood pressure and to help cope with stressful situations.
So majority of symptoms of pheochromocytoma are due to excess secretion of adrenaline from adrenal medulla. Most patients of pheochromocytoma have recurrent episodes of headache, sweating and a feeling of high anxiety. The following symptoms are listed from the most common to the least common
Headaches (severe)
sweating Episodes (generalized)
heart palpitations (tachycardia and palpitations)
Anxiety
nervousness (feelings of impending death)
tremors
Pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen
Nausea (with or without nausea)
Weight loss
Heat intolerance

These symptoms may come by situations which causes pressure over tumor like physical activity, exercise, defecation, anesthesia, or change in body position.

Who should be examined for Pheochromocytoma
Those who have uncontrolled hypertension
Those who have age between 40 and 60
Those who are already taking 4 antihypertensive drugs but blood pressure is not controllable.
Those who have episodes of above symptoms

Cause of pheochromocytoma is unknown, however some forms of this tumor runs in families like,
a-Multiple endocrine neoplasia, type II (MEN-II). In addition to a pheochromocytoma, people with MEN-II also have thyroid cancer. Other forms of MEN-II include pheochromocytoma with thyroid cancer and hyperparathyroidism (MEN-IIA), and pheochromocytoma with thyroid cancer and tumors of nerves in the eyes lips, mouth and digestive tract (MEN-IIB).
b-Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). Pheochromocytomas can occur in a small percentage of people with NF1, a syndrome that includes multiple tumors in the skin (neurofibromas), pigmented skin spots, tumors of the optic nerve of the eye, and bone diseases.
c-Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. People with this rare multi system disorder are at high risk of pheochromocytoma brain eye and kidney tumors.

Most pheochromocytomas are benign tumors and they don't spread to other parts of body however some forms do show metastasis (spread) to other parts of body like lungs, bones and brains. Usually only one gland is involved however this tumor can be present in both adrenal glands.

Investigations:
Blood and Urine tests: We perform blood and urine tests to diagnose pheochromocytoma. 24 hr urine collection is tested for epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. This test is called VMA. Idea is just to check level of epinephrine and its metabolites in urine. If these are detected in urine in excess quantity, then tumor is diagnosed.

Abdominal scan.
Now you have diagnosed tumor by blood and urine tests, after that to find out location of tumor, do Ultrasound, CT scan of abdomen.

Complications:
If high blood pressure remained uncontrolled it may lead to complications of heart failure, infarction, cerebrovascular accident, vision damage and kidney failure.

Treatment:
First treatment is to control high blood pressure with medication like Alpha Blockers and Beta Blockers. When epinephrine is secreted by this tumor it acts on alpha and beta receptors present on heart and blood vessels, result is vasoconstriction and increase heart rate. Now if if we take drugs like alpha blocker and beta blocker, epinephrine will be blocked by these drugs to act on these receptors so result is vasodilation and slow heart rate. Common Alpha blockers are Prazosin (Minipress), Terazosin (Hytrin) Phenoxybenzamine( Dibenzaline). Common Beta Blockers are Atenolol(Tenormin), Carvedilol(Carveda), Metoprolol(Mepressor), Inderal.

Treatment of choice for this tumor is Surgery. After removal of this gland by surgery, blood pressure becomes normal with a day. There are two types of surgeries. General and Laproscopic surgery. However Surgery is not an option for those tumors which show metastasis to other parts of body. For that we use chemotherapy and radiations.

Whenever you have high blood pressure with any symptom, don't ignore it, you may be the patient of Pheochromocytoma. Always contact your Doctor.

Know Your Heart Health

2010-01-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

Summary:
We all know that keeping up with our heart health is an important thing to do. We all know that there are a wide variety of factors that cause heart problems, and we should know by now that there are some basic ways to help protect the health of our hearts. What many people do not realize, however, is that keys to their heart health may be different than keys to the heart health of others.

There are almost as many strategies and tips for having good heart health as there a...

We all know that keeping up with our heart health is an important thing to do. We all know that there are a wide variety of factors that cause heart problems, and we should know by now that there are some basic ways to help protect the health of our hearts. What many people do not realize, however, is that keys to their heart health may be different than keys to the heart health of others.

There are almost as many strategies and tips for having good heart health as there are people with hearts in the world. It is important that each person takes the time to learn about his or her own heart health and to learn about the possible methods of ensuring heart health for years to come.

One of the best ways for anyone to become familiar with the needs of their heart is to see a physician. Schedule a visit to see your doctor and plan to discuss your heart health with him or her. If you can think of any questions or concerns you have regarding your heart health, write them down and bring them along. It will also be very helpful if you have a record of your extended family's heart health history. It is likely that your physician will want to discuss more than just your own heart health. He or she will want to look for patterns or trends that have affected other people you're related to.

A physician can help you determine not only the current health of your heart, but also give you a better understanding of specific things you can do to help prevent heart attack or heart disease. For some people, the most significant factor in achieving and maintaining heart health is to change their diet. The foods we choose to put into our bodies affect our heart health in more ways than we know. Eating large amounts of sugar, carbohydrates or processed foods will eventually take their toll on our heart health. Your physician can set you up with a dietician who specializes in creating unique diet plans that promote heart health.

For other people, it is their exercise and physical fitness habits that a physician will address. Heart health can be significantly altered based upon a person's level of exercise. Your physician will be able to help you create a fitness plan that will be effective for you and your heart health needs.

It is never too late to take your heart health seriously. Make an appointment to see your physician today.

Living with Congestive Heart Failure

2010-01-03T11:49:00.000-08:00

Summary:
This article offers a definition of Congestive Heart Failure. It gives the reader knowledge about this condition and ways that CHF are treated. It is also meant to give hope to those with Congestive Heart Failure and to let them know how to live relatively healthy, full lives despite it.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart does not pump the blood through the body properly. When the blood is not properly pumped throughout the body, the oxygen that the blood carries is not appropriately dispersed to the muscles and other places that require oxygen. At this time in medical technology, Congestive Heart Failure is not curable. However there are medical treatments for the condition and adhering to these treatments helps patients with CHF to live as comfortably and as normally as possible. There are ways to cope with CHF.

First, when a patient is diagnosed with CHF, he or she needs to find a heart specialist that he or she goes to regularly. The patient also needs a regular practitioner to be able to keep on top of prescriptions and other things. Certain medications will be prescribed and one of the best things that a CHF patient can do is to take medications on time regularly and in the correct amounts. Another thing that will help your doctor determine the right combination of medications for you is to record when you take your medications and how you feel after taking your medications. If a certain medicine is causing side affects, your doctor might possibly be able to prescribe a substitute for that particular medication.

Another important aspect of keeping a relatively healthy and comfortable lifestyle is diet. Most patients are placed on a restrictive diet. Many are required to eat heart-healthy low-fat, low-sodium diet. In most cases, 2 g of sodium is the daily limit. Excessive sodium in a diet may cause water retention, making it difficult to breathe. Since CHF already causes problems with water retention, it is helpful to retain as little water with diet as possible. Another thing that causes water retention is drinking excessive liquids. This is another thing the doctor may limit.

Besides medicine and adjusted diet, exercise is a way to cope with Congestive Heart Failure. Many people with CHF think that physical activity will harm them. However, though strenuous activity is not be appropriate, light to moderate activity can be healthy when done carefully.

Another way to cope and live comfortably with Congestive Heart Failure is to make sure you reduce stress as much as possible. Stress has a very negative effect on your heart and as a result, has a negative effect on the functions of your body. Any worry or burden that your family, friends, or caregivers can take from your shoulders is a positive action toward relieving your stress.

Obviously health risks such as smoking should be ceased. The use of nicotine uses up precious available oxygen in the system and therefore should be stopped to allow as much oxygen as possible to exist in the body.

One last thing to remember is to watch physical symptoms. Always record how you feel and make sure you tell your doctor of the slightest change in the way you feel. Listen to the signs your body is giving you in order to stay on top of your condition. Remember, CHF is a condition that can be coped with and treated, but you must alter your lifestyle to get the best quality out of your life.

Heart Attack Symptoms

2010-01-03T11:46:00.000-08:00

Summary:
Heart attacks are something that can be inherited from others in your family or you can create a world where you are eating and leading the lifestyle that is going to lead to a heart attach. No matter if your parents have had heart attacks, or if you are leading a sedentary lifestyle, it is important to understand and learn about what is going to be the signs of a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms are something that should not be ignored, and that you should seek medical at...

Heart attacks are something that can be inherited from others in your family or you can create a world where you are eating and leading the lifestyle that is going to lead to a heart attach. No matter if your parents have had heart attacks, or if you are leading a sedentary lifestyle, it is important to understand and learn about what is going to be the signs of a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms are something that should not be ignored, and that you should seek medical attention for if you feel or think that you are having a heart attack. A heart attack can lead to death, and a severe heart attack can sometimes be prevented or treated if you know what some of the heart attack symptoms are.

Heart attack symptoms in every day life
No matter what you age, there can be underlying problems that are going to lead to a heart attack if you are not careful. The first line of defense for anyone, is to get regular checkups. For the doctor to see you when you are healthy and feeling good, and then when you are sick, the doctor can determine easier what may be ‘out of line’ or ‘out of whack’ making you feel ill. Getting a regular physical is going to be a good defense preventing medical problems in the long run.

Heart attack symptoms can be very sudden and for other people they can be long-term problems, pains and even just discomforts. A heart attack is one that can come on and not last very long, or for other people it can be sudden and the pain can last for hours.

If you feel a heavy feeling in your chest, like someone is standing on your chest and you just can’t catch your breath, this is a sign of a heart attack. If you have been feeling a pain that comes and goes, that is uncomfortable, that is a squeezing feeling or a sharp shooting pain, this could be signs of a heart attack.

Another sign of a heart attack can be a shortness of breath. If you are a very active person, you know what it will feel like when you are unable to catch your breath or take in a deep breath. The signs of a heart attack include not being able to take a breath, or a deep breath which can in turn leave you feeling dizzy and feeling as if you need to sit down for a while. A heart attack symptom is not one that you should ignore. If you are feeling combinations of symptoms it can be vital to get to your doctor as soon as possible.

If you feel pains or discomfort in your arms, legs or in the chest, and you feel as if your neck or jaw are hurting uncontrollably, these could be additional signs of a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms will vary from person to person, but pain that is not normal, that you don’t usually feel, in combination with shortness of breath and or a tightness in your chest could be a huge sign that you are heading towards a heart attack.

Breast Cancer Symptoms

2009-12-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. The disease can occur in men although breast cancer in males is only a tiny proportion of all who are diagnosed - approximately 1%. As a matter of interest, breast cancer in women has been, in recent years, on the increase and why this is so is a matter of debate.

There are many symptoms of breast cancer and many factors involved in the risk of contracting the disease. Whether or not you fit into the risk areas and whether or not you find you have one or more of the symptoms, every woman should have a regular health check particularly once they reach the age of forty.

Symptoms you may find for possible breast cancer include the following:

• A lump or thickening near the underarm or breast
• Any change in the shape or the size of the breast
• Any change in the feel or appearance of the breast
• Any discharge from the nipple
• Swelling in the breast or breast area

These are the most common symptoms. If one or more occur you should consult your doctor as soon as possible. Remember that such symptoms do not mean you have breast cancer but that they are the symptoms often found in women who develop the disease. In fact a cyst or an infection may have a similar symptom to those of cancer but have none of the possible serious implications of cancer.

As well as the above symptoms, there are various stages or categories where it is believed that there is a higher than normal risk of contracting the disease. These beliefs are based on a series of studies which have been conducted over many years. Some studies are on-going. These factors or categories include the following:

• Age - three-quarters of all diagnosed cases of breast cancer occur in women aged 50 or older
• Family history - if there is a history of the disease in your family
• Time of body changes - the early beginnings to menstruation [younger than 12] or the later onset of menopause [older than 55]
• Childless women or those who have their first child after the age of 35
• Women who taken the oral contraceptive or hormone replacement therapy

The point needs to be reinforced that the above factors or categories are believed to present a case where the risk of breast cancer is higher than the average but there is no certainty in predicting that the disease will occur at all because a woman fits into one or more of these factors.

One of the most important factors in the treatment of breast cancer involves the early detection of the disease. Any symptom must be reported immediately. In fact success in beating breast cancer is directly related to the time it takes to diagnose the disease in its early stages.

The main point to understand is that being aware of your body, self-examination and regular check-ups brings a certain peace of mind, and should the worst happen, you are in the best position to defeat the disease.

As isolated as you may feel right now, you are not alone. Cancer diagnosis is no longer the end of the story. Cancer survivors prove every day that this can be the beginning of a whole new positive chapter in your life. Join our unique community of cancer survivors to be right now and receive a FREE report on Cancer Survivor's tips.

Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

2009-12-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

It is very important for each and every one of us to know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer for us to be able to know what will be possible and most effective way to overcome such. Well, the first particular sign and symptom of this kind of disease is a lump that is different from the surrounding tissues around the breast. It is said that if a woman felt a lump in her breast, then it is a cancer, more than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered in this manner, this is based on the Merck Manual. And the first objective indications or medical signs of breast cancer is discovered by a mammogram or is detected by a doctor. The lymph nodes located at the armpit are where the lumps are found and or the collarbone can also be a sign of breast cancer.

Signs and symptoms of breast cancer other than a lump may also include changes that may in the breast's size and breast's shape; also, dimples appear in the skin, inversion of nipples, or a single-nipple discharge that is spontaneous. Pain is not a reliable tool to determine the presence or the absence of a breast cancer, but it can also be a sign of other breast-related health problems like the mastodynia.

If a breast cancer cells enter the dermal lymphatic by force, the small lymph vessels in breast's skin, the inflammatory breast cancer is the inflammation that resembles on the skin presentation. The signs and symptoms of the inflammatory breast cancer comprise pain, swelling of the breast, over all warmth and redness of the breast and also the texture of the skin that looks like an orange peel and is called or referred to as "peau d'orange"

Another complex symptom that is reported on this kind of disease is the Paget's disease of the breast. And this disorder is known as the eczamatoid, in this manner, the skin changes in color, it will be red and the nipple skin will have a mild flaking texture. As the Paget's disease of the breast moved forward, the signs may consist of itchiness and the increase of the sensitivity of the skin, burning and it will be painful too. Discharge from the nipple may also occur. Actually almost half of the women who are diagnosed with Paget's are also suffering from lump in the breast.

The cancer that is spread further than the original organ is a metastatic disease. The metastatic breast cancer can cause signs and symptoms depending on the metastasis location. Metastasis's common location may be found in the bone, in the liver, in the lungs and in the brain. The weight loss that is unexplainable can be sometimes the indication of a disease, the signs can also be determined as fevers and chills. Also, a bone and joint pains can be a sign sometimes, as well as the jaundice or a neurological signs. But these signs are not that specific, because it can also be a sign and symptom of any other illnesses.

Always remember that most signs and symptoms of breast disorder is not really the best representation. The mastitis and fibro adenoma of the breast are the benign breast diseases and are more common causes and signs of breast disorder. And both patient and the doctor must take seriously the new development of signs and symptoms that may occur, because there may be instances that breast diseases may occur at an early age too.

The Guidelines For Breast Cancer Treatment

2009-12-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

Breast cancer treatment is different for every patient afflicted with this deadly disease. There are several stages of Breast cancer which decide the plan of treatment to be followed.

Stage 0

This is the initial stage of Breast Cancer, where the disease is limited to the Breast and has not yet spread to the surrounding tissues.

Stage I

Here the Cancer has spread and to the adjacent tissues and the size of the tumor is also up to 2 cm. But the lymph nodes are not yet involved here.

Stage II

This stage is further subdivided in to Stage II A and Stage II B.

Stage II A Breast Cancer includes different developments like size of the tumor within 2-5 cm, or when the size of the tumor despite being smaller than 2 cm has spread to the axillary lymph nodes or it may include that stage where there is no sign of any cancer cell in the breast but the axillary lymph nodes have been affected.

StageII B is where the tumor size is between 2and 5 cm, and has already spilled on to the surrounding tissue. It also includes the tumor sizes above 5cm but has not yet spread to the surrounding tissue.

Stage III

This stage also has 3 other sub stages A, B, and C.

Stage III A

This is where there is no sign of any Cancer in the breast, but the disease has already spread in to the neighboring areas. The cancer cells are bundled together and are clutching on to the axillary lymph nodes or the sternum or in some case the size of the tumor is less than 5 cm and has already spread in to the neighboring areas. The cancer cells are bundled together and are clutching on to the axillary lymph nodes or the sternum or the size of the tumor is larger than 5 cm and has spread to the neighboring areas. The cancer cells are bundled together and are clutching on to the axillary lymph nodes or the sternum

Stage III B

This is where the tumor size is not important because all cancers where the wall of the chest and the skin over the breast has been involved, irrespective of the tumor size is classified under Stage III B. Also there might be lot of inflammatory changes with involvement of the axillary lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are usually adhered together with lot of involvement of the skin over the breast and also the lymph nodes below the breast.

Stage III C

This stage exclusively deals with invasion by the cancer cells. The size of the tumor is immaterial here, and there may or may not be any signs of cancer in the breast. The most significant feature is the involvement of the lymph nodes and lymphatics above the clavicle or the collar bone. This stage essentially deals with the attack on the lymph nodes of the chest or the axillae or even beyond the collar bone.

Stage IV:

This stage is the final full blown stage of the deadly disease. Here the cancer cells have crossed over the limiting boundaries and have reached distant far off places. There may not be any sign of disease in the breast itself, but the Kidneys, Liver or the bones may be affected.

Based on these major guidelines, the breast cancer is usually further classified into many different descriptions like an early stage, denoting the Stage I, Stage II and early Stage III, whereas the late stages, may signify a late Stage III and Stage IV.

TREATMENT:

The various options for breast cancer treatment are as listed out here:

• Chemotherapy

• Hormonal therapy

• Breast Surgery-Lumpectomy / Mastectomy.

• Radiotherapy

• Targeted therapies

• Alternative and Holistic treatments

• Clinical trials- involving trial on patients using a new therapy

Whatever may be the treatment, it is finally dependent on the stage and progress of the disease. There is very little chance offered for patients to actually select their mode of breast cancer treatment, for the simple reason that all the treatments are basically determined by the progress of the disease, and secondly due to the fact that all the modes have their own share of side effects and untoward effects. Only the intensity varies.

Breast Cancer Treatment

2009-12-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

Breast cancer is one of the the most common malignancies in women. In the early stages, curative treatment may include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.

Breast cancer develops in the cells of acini, lactiferous ducts, and lobules of the breast. Tumor growth and spread depends on the exact cellular site of origin of the cancer. These factors affect the response to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Breast tumors spread via the lymphatics and veins, or by direct invasion.

When a patient presents with a lump in the breast, a diagnosis of breast cancer is confirmed by a biopsy and histologic evaluation. Once confirmed, the clinician must attempt to stage the tumor.

Staging the tumor means defining:
. size of the primary tumor;
. exact site of the primary tumor;
. number and site of lymph node spread;
. organ to which the tumor may have spread.

Computed tomography scanning of the body may be carried out to look for any spread to the lungs, liver, or bone. Further imaging may include bone scanning using radioactive isotopes, which are avidly taken up by the tumor metastases in bone.

Lymphatic drainage of the breast is complex. Lymph vessels pass to axillary, supraclavicular, parasternal, and lymphatic lymph nodes as well as the opposite breast. Subcutaneous lymphatic obstruction and tumor growth pull on connective tissue ligaments in the breast resulting in appearance of an orange peel texture(peau d'orange)on the surface of breast. Further subcutaneous spread can induce a rare manifestation of breast cancer that produces a hard. woody texture to the skin(cancer en cuirasse).

Amastectomy involves excision of the breast tissue to the pectoralis major muscle and fascia. Within the axilla the breast tissue must be removed from the medial axillary wall. Closely applied to the medial axillary wall is the long thoracic nerve. Damaged to this nerve can result in paralysis of serratus anterior muscle producing a characteristic 'winged' scapula.

Breast Cancer Symptoms: Women Should Expect to See

2009-12-13T21:45:00.000-08:00

Breast cancer symptoms are detected early with survival rate tends to be very high.

The first symptom most women see of this cancer is a lump in the breast. This lump feels unusual to other breast tissue and it is usually the first warning sign.

It has been noted that considerable amount of women, over 70% only discover that they have breast cancer after they detect the lump.

A mammography is then conducted by a trained physician to confirm whether it is cancerous or not. The mammography is strictly an early warning test and early detection of the symptoms of breast cancer will aide in treatment and recovery.

Another sign of disease is Paget's disease of the breast. This presents itself in the form of eczema like redness and flaking around the breast nipples. Intensified symptoms of Paget's are ache around the breast, tingling, itching, increased feeling and burning.

Weight loss is another symptom. Inexplicable loss of weight is usually a symptom of ill health and a visit to the physician can detect the reasons behind it.

Still another symptom is pain in other parts of the body. If the cancer metastasizes, it can spread to other parts of the body such as the bone, kidney, liver and other parts. For instance, one may experience pain in the joints which is actually a sign of breast cancer.

Other symptoms include the inversion of the nipples, changes in the size of the breast and unprompted discharges from one of the breast nipples.

If you notice any of the above symptoms of breast cancer, it is recommended you consult your physician as soon as possible.

breast cancer symptoms