Archive for the ‘Breast Cancer’ Category

Choices of breast cancer fighting foods

Friday, October 28th, 2011


Learn which foods can help prevent and fight breast cancer that you should include in your diet. Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in women, so it’s best to take precautions. One of the ways you could start is by eating the right foods, so here are a few choices of breast cancer fighting foods.

Walnuts
Walnuts are a good part of your anti-cancer diet because research has found that walnuts contain healthy fatty acid that slows down the growth of breast cancer. It contains Phytosterols, a plant compound that appears to slow or prevent the growth of cancer. Gallic Acid, which is found in the thin skin outside the walnut kernel, is antifungal and toxic to cancer cells. Alphalinolenic acid (ALA) which is a polyunsaturated fat that helps reduce inflammation and may also be effective in preventing breast cancer.

Whole grain foods
Whole grains have natural compounds to lower your cancer risk and plant compounds that can protect your cells from damages that may lead to the development of cancer.

Ground flaxseed
Flaxseeds are a humble but powerful cancer-fighting grain. Flax is a source of lignin which has anti-cancer properties, and according to recent studies, it could help prevent breast cancer. Researchers believe this because the lignin metabolites bind estrogens receptors preventing the spread of estrogens-stimulated breast cancer

Natural Sweeteners
Natural sweeteners like honey are low on glycemic index, which means unlike refined sugar, it doesn’t raise you blood glucose levels. Cancer thrives on sugar, so using this as a substitute would be helpful.

Garlic
Garlic may help to prevent cancer by its anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. This provides the ability to enhance genetic repair and slow down cancer cell proliferation. It can also prevent the formation of carcinogenic substances in your body which is an agent directly involved in causing cancer.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon contains a type of flavonoids called Proanthocyanidins which has a cogent antioxidant capability and may be able to prevent tumour growth by starving the cancer cells. These special flavonoids may also block the formation of nitrosamines which is a carcinogen that damages the DNA in your breast tissue

Eggs
The fat-soluble vitamins in eggs not only help absorb calcium to build strong teeth and bones, but also build protection against cancer.

Berries
Berries are rich with flavonoids which are cancer-fighting antioxidants. Try red grapes which contain anti-oxidants called Bioflavonoid and Resveratrol, which help prevent tumour growth.

Fish
Research shows that people who replace saturated fat from red meat with fish rich in PUFA omega-3 fatty acids have lower rates of breast and colon cancer. Omega-3s promote brain growth and development, and they are also important in reducing risk for inflammation and cancer

Carrots
Carrots contain a substance called Falcarinol. It has the ability to reduce the risk of cancer as isolated cancer cells grow slower when exposed to falcarinol

Pomegranates
Studies show that pomegranate juice could destroy breast cancer cells without affecting healthy cells alone. It may also prevent breast cancer cells from forming and can slow down the growth of breast cancer

Green tea
Green tea contains an anti-cancer compound called epigallocatechin gallate. Researchers have discovered that green tea also contains chemicals that have the ability to shut down one of the key molecules known as the aryl hydrocarbon (AH) receptor that can cause gene changes

Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes contain many anti-cancer properties, including Beta-carotene, which protects the DNA in the cell nucleus from cancer-causing chemicals outside the nuclear membrane.

Seaweed
Seaweed contains important fatty acids like Beta-carotene, protein, vitamin B12, fibre, and chlorophyll and chlorophylones that may help in the fight against breast cancer

Soy products
Soy contains several types of phytoestrogens like non-steroidal estrogens that could help prevent breast cancer by blocking and suppressing cancerous changes. There are a number of isoflavone in soy products, one of it being the genistein which is the most potent prevention of the growth and spread of cancerous cells.

Breast Self Examination – Detecting Early Breast Cancer

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011


breast self examinationThe best time to do a Breast Self Examination is 3 or 4 days after your period ends. If you no longer menstruate, pick a day, such as the first day of the month to do Breast Self Examination. Breast cancer is one of the most common form of cancers found in women.

In its early stages, it is neither painful nor causes any discomfort, usually presenting as a painless breast lump.

Examining one’s own breasts every month is the best method to detect early breast cancer. 90% of breast cancers are discovered by women themselves. Breast cancer education play important part to detect early breast cancer.

STEP 1 - Undress to the waist in front of the mirror and look for any unusual appearance of the breasts and any changes in size or shape. Look also for any dimpling or puckering of the skin, and for any changes in the outline of the breasts

STEP 2 - Rest palms on hips and press down firmly to flex your chest muscles

STEP 3 - Raise up both arms, examine your breasts from different angles. Check the nipples too for any signs of discharge or bleeding.

STEP 4 - Lie down and put a pillow under your right shoulder. Place your right arm behind your head. Start examining your right breast using your left hand

STEP 5 - Press gently but firmly, looking for any lump or thickening or anything unusual.

Move around the breast in a set way. You can choose either the circle(A), the up and down line(B). Do it the same way every time. It will help you to make sure that you have gone over the entire breast area, and to remember how your breast feels.

Note: Use the FINGER PADS of your THREE MIDDLE FINGERS on your left hand to feel for LUMPS or THICKENING. Your finger pads are the TOP THIRD of each finger.

STEP 6 - Use the flat part of your fingers to feel under your armpit. Search for lumps or swellings.

STEP 7 - Now examine your left breast using right hand finger pads.

STEP 8 - If you find any changes, see your doctor right away

More About Breast Cancer

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011


It is the most common cancer affecting women where one in 19 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85. About 4,000 women are diagnosed each year, mostly between 35-60 years old with 40% affected below the age of 50. It is rare, but men can also develop breast cancer.

Breasts are made up of milk glands, which consist of lobules. Milk is made in lobules, and tubes called ducts take milk to the nipples. Cancer develops when cells in the breast grow out of control.

If cancer has not spread beyond the breasts, it is referred as pre-invasive breast cancer.  The most common types are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Most breast cancers are diagnosed at invasive stages which consist of several types:

•Early breast cancer: confined in the breast but may have spread to one or more lymph nodes in the armpit.
•Locally advanced breast cancer: may have spread to places near the breast (skin, muscles, and chest) but not found in other parts of the body.
•Metastatic (advanced) breast cancer: cancer cells have spread to other areas of the body like lungs, bones or liver.
What are the risks?

•Ageing.
•Previously diagnosed with breast cancer or other breast conditions like atypical ductal hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ or lobular carcinoma in situ.
•Family history where a relative from either side of the family has / had breast cancer.
•Inherited genes which do not work properly. Only 1 in 20 cases are caused by faulty genes.

What are the breast cancer symptoms?

•Change in the nipple: the shape, crusting, a sore or an ulcer, redness. Nipple turning in when it used to stick out.
•Change in the skin of the breast including a dimpling, unusual redness or other colour changes.
•Changes in shape or size.
•A lump, lumpiness or thickening.
•Unusual discharge from nipple without squeezing.
•Persistent or unusual pain that is unrelated to monthly menstruation cycle that remains after some time, occurring in one breast only.
These symptoms do not necessarily mean breast cancer. They are signs that alert you to have them checked by your doctor immediately. Symptoms of male breast cancer are similar to women’s. In some cases, symptoms may not be present and breast cancer may be found on a screening mammogram

Breast Cancer Education

Saturday, March 13th, 2010


Breast Cancer is a tumour that begins in the breast tissue. There are several types of breast cancer. The majority (80%) of breast lumps are benign. However, you should not ignore a lump. There is still a 20% chance that it is malignant. If left too long, this overgrowth of malignant cells could spread and the chances of a cure begin to fall. Furthermore, the more advanced the cancer, the more extensive the treatment required.

Breast Health Education

Breast Health Education aims to help adolescent girls and women to understand the facts related to the breast and to familiarize with the normal changes in their breast. They could learn to recognize signs of early breast cancer.

Estimated new cases and deaths from breast cancer in the United States in 2009:
New cases: 192,370 (female); 1,910 (male)
Deaths: 40,170 (female); 440 (male)

*Information from U.S National Institutes of Health

When to do familiarization

*7 -10 days after first day of menstruation
*If no longer menstruating, or very irregular menstruation – pick a day, e.g., first day of the month.

Signs of an Ill-Fitting Bra
*Breasts bulging at the top, sides or bottom of the bra
*Underwire digging into your skin
*Centre of front of bra does not lie against your chest
*Straps always falling off your shoulders
*Cup wrinkles
*Bra comes away from your body when you lift your arms

Early Detection and Screening

Screening
The term ’screening’ refers to tests and examinations used to find a disease (such as cancer) in people who do not have any symptoms. The goal is to find the disease early before it has a chance to spread. The size of the tumour and how far it has spread are the most important factors determining the final outcome for the patient.

Therefore, the early detection of breast cancer can be the key to survival or in other words, the earlier the cancer is found, the better the chances that treatment will work.

Breast self-examinations (BSE), clinical breast examinations (by a trained doctor or health care professional) and screening mammography are therefore important in detecting breast cancer at an early stage.

Who should be screened?
Screening can be done on:

*the whole population at risk (all women above 18 years of age) or

*on the population at highest risk.
1.women with a past history of breast or ovarian cancer,
2.women with a family history of one or more first or second degree
3.relatives with breast cancer before the age of 50 years,
4.women in the age group of highest incidence, above 40 years,
5.women on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

The guidelines on screening for breast cancer vary from country to country. These guidelines are drawn-up by health and economic professionals based on the incidence statistics, the ‘at risk’ population, available medical resources (including personnel and equipment) as well as the country’s economic resources.