Category Archives: Cancer

Cancer Treatments – Take Only the Orthodox Treatment

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This article discusses orthodox treatments for cancer. To define orthodox, we mean surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment as approved by health authorities and provided widely by medical professionals. The alternatives to orthodox treatments are just that – alternatives. They are lumped together under that heading and are not discussed in this article. Here we consider which type of treatment a cancer patient can take but only in the field of orthodox treatments.

There is only one question to answer. Which of the orthodox treatments will you receive? You could receive one or more than one of the orthodox forms of treatment. How many and which type of treatment depends on where your cancer is located, how early it has been diagnosed, if the cancer has spread to another part or parts of your body and how old and how healthy you are.

Generally speaking, orthodox cancer treatments can have a powerful impact on the patient’s wellbeing. It’s the old adage of becoming sick to become better. In most cases, a young, fit and healthy [apart from the cancer] person will be far better able to withstand the rigors of treatment than a frail and elderly patient. The amount and type of treatment is therefore adjusted according to various factors.

And while the decision is made not to use any alternative forms of treatment, that doesn’t mean the patient can’t undergo several forms of orthodox treatment. Some patients will have surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

You, the patient, as an adult make the final decision on which treatment you will receive. You will base your decision on an understanding of all the facts. The facts can be roughly divided into two parts. [a] what is wrong with you? and [b] what will happen if you take a certain type of treatment? You need the facts before making the decision.

Some patients don’t want to discuss their prognosis. They put their trust in the medical professionals and leave it up to them to decide the best form of treatment. Other patients want to know every piece of information there is to know. What will this treatment do to me? Will it cure my cancer? How long have I got to live? What will happen to me if I don’t have this type of treatment? And so on.

Every type of orthodox treatment will have side effects. But if the treatment is recommended then the possible side effects are the price you need to pay to achieve your goal. Remember that the experts may not be accurate in their prediction of various things – if your cancer is incurable, if the recommended treatment will do what is expected and how strong will be your side effects. Medicine is sometimes an inexact science.

If you choose only the orthodox type of treatment, you will be joining multi-millions of patients who have done so in the past. Many people have beaten cancer using orthodox treatment. It can be said that it takes courage to refuse any form of orthodox treatment although quite a few patients do. It’s your body and it’s your decision.

Breast Cancer Symbol

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The breast cancer symbol has become a pink ribbon that signifies the Susan G. Koman foundation’s attempts to eradicate breast cancer. What is breast cancer and what are some symptoms, though? And what can you do to reduce your risk of getting breast cancer?

Symptoms

Unfortunately, breast cancer is known as a “silent killer,” because often, you don’t see symptoms until the disease has progressed significantly. The best way to stay on top of cancer symptoms is to do monthly self-exams to check for lumps, thickening, or changes, such as dimpling around the nipple, which may signify the onset of breast cancer.

Getting to know your own breasts is crucial in the prevention of cancer. That’s because you’re going to know your own breast tissue far better than any doctor ever could, even though of course you can and should have a professional medical exam on a regular basis to check for just these changes. Regular mammograms at a certain age, such as over the age of 40, are also imperative if you want to prevent that monster.

Lifestyle changes that can help

As with every type of cancer, lifestyle changes play a major part in the prevention of it. So, if you smoke, stop. Limit the alcohol you drink to no more than one drink a day, maintain a healthy weight, and eat properly. Limit the amount of fat you eat, especially saturated fat, and include healthy fat sources in your diet, like omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids that come from flaxseed, fish oil, and olive oil. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and get enough exercise. Keep stress levels down, and get enough sleep every night.

All of this seems like a good “common sense” advice, of course, and rather generic especially when it comes to preventing breast cancer. However, because most cancers occur with a combination of the right genetic and lifestyle conditions, lifestyle conditions that prevent cancer in general can go a long way toward preventing breast cancer in particular.

A note about long-term hormone replacement therapy

There is some evidence (with an emphasis on “some”) that long-term hormone replacement therapy can increase your risk. The jury is still out on this, and of course the hormone replacement therapy does have its benefits, too. Therefore, make sure you check with your health care practitioner if you’re undertaking a course of hormone replacement therapy to manage use as much as possible so that your risks for getting breast cancer, too, are minimized.

Other possible factors

There is some evidence that wearing restrictive clothing like brassieres for more than 12 hours a day may also increase your risk. Again, the studies on this are very preliminary, but the theory behind the risk of breast cancer and wearing restrictive clothing for a long period of time is that toxins are allowed to build up in breast tissue because of this restriction, thus contributing to the development of cancer. Therefore, as another possible preventative for breast cancer, limit the amount of time you wear restrictive clothing like a brassiere to no more than eight hours a day, and do a thorough breast massage after you remove the clothing to make sure the lymphatic fluid is allowed to circulate.