Health Topics Blogs

Friday, 11 January 2013

How Is Cancer Treated

Source(google.com.pk)
How Is Cancer Treated Biography
There are number of methods used to treat cancer. The aim of cancer treatments is to remove the cancerous cells while making sure the cancer does not come back. This can be challenging because even if only one cancerous cell remains after treatment, it has the potential to cause a new tumour.
The main techniques used to treat cancer are:

Surgery
Surgery is a common treatment option for cancer but what type of surgery a person has and when they have it depends on the type of cancer it is and what stage it is at.
There is more information about surgery and other treatments for cancers including bowel, breast, lung, cervical and uterine cancer in the Health A-Z
.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is where medicine is used to kill cancer cells. It can be given either as a tablet or as an injection or infusion directly into a vein. There are over 50 different types of chemotherapy medication that can be used to treat hundreds of different types of cancer
.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy, also known as radiation treatment, is the controlled use of high energy X-rays to treat many different types of cancer. About 4 out of 10 people with cancer have radiotherapy.

Hormonal therapy
Hormone therapy works by lowering the levels of hormones in your body or by stopping their effects. In particular, prostate cancer needs the hormone testosterone to grow, and some breast cancers are stimulated to grow by oestrogen or progesterone.

Monoclonal antibody therapy
Monoclonal antibodies are designed to directly target and attack cancer cells. This is why monoclonal antibody therapy can be referred to as targeted therapy.

Immunotherapy
This type of treatment involves taking medicines that encourage the immune system to attack cancerous cells such as in the treatment of kidney cancer.

Angiogenesis inhibitor therapy
Angiogenesis inhibitors interfere with the development of blood vessels that deliver nturients and oxygen that tumours need to survive.

Alternative and complementary therapies
These are treatments used alongisde recommended conventional western medical treatments. They include homeopathy, ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, herbal therapies, psychological therapies, spiritual therapies, support groups, relaxation and meditation, diets and reﬂexology.

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

How Is Cancer Treated

Stages Of Cancer

Sourc(google.com.pk)
Stages Of Cancer Biography
Firstly and most importantly, you need to understand that every change and every lump found in your breasts does not mean you have Breast Cancer, especially as your breasts are growing and changing, they'll have lumps and bumps anyway.

IMPORTANT FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
On average, the final stage of puberty is around 15 years of age and at this time, you are physically an adult.

In your late teens and early twenties you have more lumps, bumps and pain in your breasts that seem to come about just because your body is growing.
Lumps can form in your breasts due to hormonal changes during your period cycle and they usually go away at the end of that time of the month.
In your late teens and early twenties you sometimes can have round rubbery types of tumors called Fibro adenomas and these are not cancerous.
Fat Necrosis is a firm lump that can be formed by damaged fatty tissue and develops from a bruise from a hit or bump to the chest.

BREAST CANCER
You may have heard a fair bit about Breast Cancer but really haven't taken much notice as everyone always seems to be saying that breast cancer only affects women 40 years and older. Young women are being diagnosed in their teens, twenties and thirties. Even if the percentage is very low compared to that of older women aged 40 years and older, the point is it does happen. Would you also believe that 1% of all diagnosed breast cancers are in men?

If Breast Cancer is detected early, chances of survival are very high.
Treatment now is so much improved and getting better results. It helps if you can understand what to look out for and also how to check your own breasts and take ownership of the health of your breasts. It's not really such a big deal and it's easy to do and gives you peace of mind as you grow older.

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Stages Of Cancer

Cancer Of The Throat And Larynx

Source(google.com.pk)
Cancer Of The Throat And Larynx Biography
Cancer in the throat occurs in the passages from the neck to the rest of the body. This includes the voice box, or larynx, and the areas behind the oral cavity, known as the pharynx.
What is going on in the body?

The throat is exposed to every substance a person takes into the body whether by breathing, drinking, or eating. Some of these substances, especially tobacco, can cause severe damage to the cells lining the throat. Damage over time may cause cells to undergo changes that lead to cancer. The person may have more than one cancer develop at a time in this area because the damage affects the whole area. After a cell becomes cancerous, it will begin to grow and divide uncontrollably. The cancer cells will then form a tumor. The tumor spreads by invading the tissue around it. Some of the cancer cells will enter the system that drains fluids into lymph nodes in the neck. The lymph nodes filter the blood and help fight infections. When a cancer cell enters a lymph node, it may also be filtered out, and form a new tumor in the node.

Cancerous cells from the tumor can also break off from the tumor and enter the blood stream. These cells will go to other parts of the body and develop into new tumors. The cancer will spread, or metastasize, through the body if not successfully treated. The cancer causes death from damage to vital organs.

What Are The Causes And Risks of The Disease?
People who use tobacco products and also drink beverages containing alcohol are at great risk for developing these cancers as well as cancers in the mouth. Alcohol consumption tends to accelerate the damage caused by tobacco.
Symptoms & Signs

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of The Disease?
Symptoms depend on where the cancer is located. Cancers at the base of the tongue will cause throat pain and difficulty swallowing. Cancers on the voice box or larynx will cause hoarseness by pressing on the vocal cords.
Diagnosis & Tests

How is The Disease Diagnosed?
When a tumor is found, a small piece of it must be removed with a biopsy, to determine if it is cancerous. Surgery is usually performed to remove the rest of the tumor, known as resection, and to determine the extent of the disease. It is likely that a large tumor might have spread to local lymph nodes by the time of diagnosis. Nearby lymph nodes will be removed at the time of surgery to determine this. Other tests such as CT scans of the chest and neck may be performed to investigate potential spread to distant sites. Understanding the extent of the disease will guide the choices of therapy.
Prevention & Expectations

What Can Be Done Preto Vent The Disease?
Avoiding all tobacco products is the most important health behavior in preventing these and other cancers. Limiting alcohol consumption is also helpful. Smokers who drink heavily have a risk for throat cancer up to 15 times greater than those who do not drink or smoke. A person who is at risk for these cancers from lifestyle choices should alert a healthcare provider when any hoarseness, pain in the throat, or difficulty swallowing develops. Early detection will help ensure successful treatment. These cancers are easier to treat when small.

Quitting smoking is the single most important action a person can do to improve overall health status. There are many methods to help people quit smoking. Healthcare providers can make referrals and offer advice on how to quit smoking.
What are the long-term effects of the disease?

Cancer of the throat and larynx are fatal if not successfully treated.

What Are The Risks To Others?
There is no risk to others.
Treatment & Monitoring

What Are The Treatments For The Disease?
Surgery to remove the tumor and tissue around it is the primary treatment. If it is suspected that lymph nodes are involved, then nearby lymph nodes in the neck will be removed. Radiation therapy may be applied to the area of surgery later to improve the likelihood that all of the cancer has been destroyed. Sometimes a very small tumor is found on the vocal cords. At that stage it has not spread. In this rare instance, surgery may be avoided by directing radiation at the tumor. Treatment for this type of cancer that has spread to other parts of the body is directed at improving quality of life. It is not curable in the advanced stages. Chemotherapy may be given to reduce the size of the tumors. Radiation may be given to areas of local pain.

What Are The Side Effects For The Treatments?
Extensive surgery on the throat will have long-term consequences. If the larynx has to be removed, the person will be unable to talk and will have a tracheostomy, or permanent breathing tube in the neck. A special device can be placed that will aid speech, but it will not be normal speech. Surgery on the neck will also change the contour of the neck. Reconstruction at the time of surgery may improve this.

The effects of radiation are temporary and resolve after treatment. The more troublesome side effects include dry mouth, sores developing in the mouth and throat, and fatigue.

Sometimes chemotherapy is given during radiation to make the radiation work better. In this case, the effects of the radiation may be stronger. When given to control advanced disease, the medications are chosen to improve quality of life. Most side effects such as nausea can be easily managed.

What Happens After Treatment For The Disease?
After treatment of early stage disease, the person will need to be followed closely. It is possible new cancers may form or that the previously treated cancer can recur. In advanced stage disease, the person will be followed to determine response. The disease is likely to progress over time.

How is The Disease Monitored?
The affected area will need to be observed at intervals for signs of recurrence. CT scans and other specialized x-rays will be performed if a person develops a symptom indicating the cancer has come back or spread to another site in the body. The need for close monitoring will continue throughout the person’s lifetime, even for those with small cancers.