Health | Mesothelioma | Cancer » Breast Cancer

buzzing brain

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:28:20 +0000

I had a brain MRI today. I’d never had one before and it’s a pretty weird experience.

I’m not worried about anything in particular. I just thought it would be a good idea, after hearing an oncologist speak at the Conference For Young Women Affected By Breast Cancer that I attended last February.

It wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d feared. It turns out that I am not at all claustrophobic (and I was so relieved that the technician managed to access a vein for the contrast injection on the first try that nothing after that fazed me at all).

But boy, was it loud. And my neck is still stiff from the brace they used to hold my head steady. It’s been hours since I left the hospital and I feel like I am still vibrating. It felt like a jackhammer being used right beside my head. My teeth were chattering from the vibration.

And I am exhausted (although that my be from waking up every forty-five minutes again to make sure that I didn’t oversleep).

I’m not going to worry too much about the results (although I may change my mind about that in the next few days).

My CT results from last week were good (still no tumours in sight).

And besides, there were several women at the young women’s conference who had recently had surgery for brain metastasis. Every month seems to bring more options for the treatment of cancer.

And it’s nice outside.

I am either going to take a nap now or go pick up dog poo in the back yard.

And then I’ll go for a walk.

What Are The Risk Factors for Breast Cancer?

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:51:49 +0000

Breast cancer is a largely unknown disease until today, despite the fact that it affects almost ten percent of the women above the age of forty years all over the world. The causes of this killer cancer are not known even after decades of research into it. Similarly it is unknown why some women have higher chances of getting breast cancers than others.

Though the causative factors are not known, some risk factors have been identified. There is no medical proof why these factors make the disease more probable, but this is a study of observation. In a vast cross-section of women with the observed risk factors, it has been found that the chances of getting breast cancers are very high.

The various risk factors for breast cancer are as follows:-

1. Family History of Breast Cancer

If a near relative like a mother or a sister has had breast cancer, then there is a very high chance that the cancer will occur sometime in life. This propensity is observed even if far relatives such as cousins and aunts have had breast cancer, though the chances are lesser as the relatives are more removed. Even if a male relative has had breast cancer or prostate cancer, then there is a chance of getting breast cancer. This clearly indicates that breast cancer runs through family lines through inheritance. Certainly the chances are very high if more than one family member has had breast cancer.

2. Personal History of Breast Cancer

If a woman has had breast cancer in the past, then there is a great chance that the breast cancer may recur. This is true even if the cancer had been removed in its benign stage itself. Sometimes the cancer cells spread into the nearby lymph. This makes a possibility that the cancer will occur in the opposite breast. In fact, women who have had cancer in one breast have 50 to 75% more chances of developing the cancer in the other breast.

3. Diseases of the Breast

Several breast diseases can increase the chances of having breast cancer. Changes in the cells of the breasts can lead to atypical hyperplasia. This condition can cause a three to fourfold increase in the possibility of getting breast cancer in the later years. This risk also exists if the atypical hyperplasia has occurred in other women of the family. Another such condition is the benign breast tumor condition known as fibro adenoma. However, women with fibrocystic breasts generally do not have any added vulnerability to breast cancer. Yet, such conditions could make the breasts lumpy and hide the real tumors (if any) during mammography.

4. Lifestyle

In today’s world, lifestyle is the single largest contributing factor for the proliferation of breast cancer among women. Several elements of the lifestyle have been found to be directly accordant with the prevalence of breast cancer. Smoking and alcoholism in women are among the chief factors. Even diet has been pointed out as an important risk factor. Women who consume a diet with more high-cholesterol fats in them have higher chances of breast cancer. At the same time leading a sedentary lifestyle without indulging much in physical activity are also potentially dangerous.

5. Radiation

It has been found that women who undergo radiation therapies in their chest region at a young age have an increased risk of developing breast cancer in their later lives. Radiation therapy is generally prescribed for women with conditions like Hodgkin’s disease or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. So women who have undergone such treatments may get breast cancer in their later years.

6. Hormonal Imbalances

There are several factors that can change the hormone balance of the body. Some of them are:-

a) Beginning the menstrual cycle early, i.e. before the age of twelve years,
b) Having the first pregnancy after the age of thirty years,
c) Having no pregnancy at all,
d) Having a late menopause.

All these conditions can increase the level of estrogen in the body. This increases the risk of getting breast cancer to a mild extent. Apart from that women who take regular birth control pills, breast enhancement supplements, antidepressants and antihistamines and hormone modifying supplements stand at a higher risk to get breast cancers.

The above are the major risk factors for breast cancers. But since the study on breast cancers is not yet complete, the above is by no means a complete list. There are several other indications of breast cancers, like breast implant operations; but these have not yet been confirmed. The implants used in the earlier days were made of silicone gels. These were riskier in terms of breast cancer. However, nowadays the silicone gel implants have been replaced by saline implants. This has reduced the risk to a great extent.

It must be also noted that women have much higher chances of getting breast cancer than men. In fact, most people think that breast cancer is a disease that affects only women. This is not true. Men also get breast cancers, but to a much lesser degree than women. Also, age is a very important factor. The chances of getting breast cancer are much higher when the woman has crossed the age of 50 years.

the waiting game

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:01:07 +0000

I am waiting for results from yesterday’s CT scan. My oncologist said that I should call him for results after five days, so I am going to start calling on Friday (it’s only four days post-test but what have I got to lose by calling?).

I did have bloodwork done yesterday and was very relieved to see that all my liver functions are well within the range of normal. I actually startled the nurse who was hooking me up for chemo by giving a little yelp of pleasure.

It is still possible to have tumours on the liver (or nearby) and have normal liver functions. However, abnormally high liver functions can be a sign of a problem.

And I will embrace every indication that all is well.

I have a new post up (I wrote it on Monday) at MyBreastCancerNetwork.Com. It’s about how hard it is to play the waiting game:

“I have no real reason to expect anything but good results this time, yet I can’t escape the feeling that something is wrong. My digestion feels a little off and I can’t decide if the pain in my side is a phantom one.

The truth is, I am scared. I am trying to reassure myself with the fact that I have been feeling pretty good, that I have been biking and running But I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was feeling the healthiest and most fit that I had in years. And I was diagnosed with liver mets three weeks after I returned to work, at a time when I was feeling strong, energetic and (so I thought) on the road to reclaiming my life from cancer.

I have been fairly racked with anxiety these last few days and yet today I feel calmer. Perhaps I have had the time to come to terms with the fact that I have no choice but to meet whatever challenge lies ahead. Perhaps it has helped to keep myself really busy. Or maybe I am in denial.”

I also wrote in the same post about how I how I cope with the anxiety. I was a little crazy on the week end but there are definitely things that help, when I can remind myself to do them:

“My advice to women awaiting test results or doctor’s appointments remains the same.

Try not to torture yourself with worst case scenarios.

Go out and play (I went to the National Art Gallery with my family yesterday).

Get together with friends (I had a great time at last night’s book club meeting).

Get some exercise (I am going running with my son after school today).

Write it all down (I procrastinated over doing this but I can’t tell you how much it helped.”

Cross-posted to Mothers With Cancer.

inspired

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:37:04 +0000

Last week, a comment was left on my blog that really moved me. It linked to BrCa: Blog on Risk, Cancer and Anxiety (it’s an excellent resource if you are interested in learing more about genetic testing and the genes that carry breast cancer).

It seems that the 29 year old woman who writes the blog has been reading mine for a long time. Last week was the first time that she left a comment and it was to tell me about a post she’d written about my blog, called Blogs that inspire me: Not Just About Cancer.

I was so touched by this post. And so pleased to learn that some of my writing has been helpful to others looking for answers.

I write to fill my own needs, of course but it does motivate me to keep going when I learn that I have been striking a chord with others.

Herbal Treatment for Women’s Problems

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:32:05 +0000

The female reproductive system consists of the external and internal genital organs. Breast disorders may be noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Most are noncancerous and not life threatening. Often, they do not require treatment. In contrast, breast cancer can mean loss of a breast or of life.

Thus, for many women, breast cancer is their worst fear. However, potential problems can be detected early when women regularly examine their breasts themselves and have mammograms.

Symptoms

Common symptoms include breast pain, lumps, and a discharge from the nipple. Breast symptoms do not necessarily mean that a woman has breast cancer or another serious disorder. However, if a woman has any of the following symptoms, she should see her doctor:

A lump that feels distinctly different from other breast tissue or that does not go away
swelling that does not go away
puckering or dimpling in the skin of the breast
scaly skin around the nipple
changes in the shape of the breast
changes in the nipple, such as turning inward
Discharge from the nipple, especially if it is bloody.

Herbal Treatment

Apply a warm compress for 15-20 minutes on your breast, by using a heated towel or a heating pad to get relief from breast tenderness. This problem occurs mainly before, after or during your monthly period. For such times you can use a cold compress with the help of ice packs or frozen packets of fruits and vegetables wrapped in towel.

Sometimes not wearing bar can be a good enough reason for breast pain. Wear bras that support your breasts. See to it that the bras are well-padded if you are wearing an under-wired bra. If nothing works try a sports bra.

Soya products contain isoflavones which lessen breast tenderness. Include soy food such as soybeans, soy milk, soy burgers and other soy products in your diet. Cutting down on your salt intake will help reduce water retention which in turn relieves pain. Avoid caffeine in any form as it contains methylxanthine that stimulates breast tissue and causes pain.

Food: sensitivity or allergy can disrupt hormone balance, and it may be that either eliminating certain culprit foods, or increasing your nutrition to make up for deficiencies causing allergies, or both, will help the body to regain its balance.

Aromatic seeds, such as anise, cumin, fennel, caraway, coriander, and dill increase milk production and tone the digestive system. Their powers are carried through the breast milk, curtailing colic and indigestion. To brew, simply put a heaping spoonful of dried seeds in a cup and fill to the top with boiling water. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink warm with honey. Up to two quarts a day can be consumed.

Avoid soap, cologne, deodorant and powder on your nipples or breasts. Do not wash nipples with soap. Soap predisposes the nipples to chapping and cracking.
Nourishing herbs, such as raspberry leaves, stinging nettle, oatstraw, and red clover blossoms – prepared as strong infusions*, not taken in pills, capsules, tinctures, or teas – not only encourage a plentiful supply of breast milk, they support the overall health of mother and child. The minerals in these herbs are amazingly abundant, so they counter mineral loss from nursing, and help keep mom calm and alert during those first few weeks of round-the-clock infant care.

“what’s wrong with breast cancer awareness month?”

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:46:26 +0000

“October is breast cancer awareness month, which again fills the stores with pink products and pink ribbons. But many people with breast cancer are feeling exploited.”

It’s only September 30th and I already have pink ribbon fatigue. I ranted about about this in 2006, 2007 and 2008 (there is also a version of this rant in my book, Not Done Yet).

This year, let me point you to an excellent article by Maija Haavisto (and I don’t just say this because she quotes me):

Since 1985 October has been celebrated as breast cancer awareness month, often symbolized by pink ribbons and the color pink. It is interesting to note that the awareness month was started by the drug company AstraZeneca (which manufactures several breast cancer drugs) and the pink ribbon originated from cosmetics giant Estée Lauder.

Simply put, I think a lot of breast cancer awareness month is big scam. To quote Maija’s article quoting me (is this as po-mo as it gets?):

“I really resent big corporations making a profit – while donating only a tiny percentage to breast cancer research – on some disposable item that has been made under questionable environmental conditions by workers who are paid less than a living wage.”

Want to do something to raise breast cancer awareness? Make a donation to an organization doing good work. Advocate for changes in environmental laws. Encourage young people to be aware of changes in their bodies. Do something nice for someone who has been affected by the disease.

And if you are craving a slice of pink cake, washed down with a glass of pink lemonade, by all means, indulge yourself. Just please don’t do it in my name.

Back Home!

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:58:16 +0000

I am just back from my trip to Washington DC. It was wonderful. I arrived on Friday night and walked several miles in DC on Saturday. I walked to the National Mall and to the Smithsonian Aerospace Museum, the most visited museum in the world. I took a tour highlighting the Apollo space missions and watched an IMAX presentation about the Hubble telescope…I love seeing pictures from the Hubble on-line. Saturday evening I went to meet the family of a patient with appendix cancer I helped four years ago, she is still cancer free and doing great, we talked until almost midnight, I think she will always be a friend!

On Sunday I attended a church service at the National Community Church, then had lunch with Dr. Esquivel at Union Station, it was a great lunch…I admired him before but do even more so now. I am on the board of his new organization, the American Society for Peritoneal Surface Malignancies, so it was a working lunch.

I spent Monday in the PEW headquarters and met so many great people: breast cancer and lymphoma survivors, a 16 year HIV survivor, and a terrific ER physician who is a heart transplant recipient. I also met an ethnobotanist ( Paul Alan Cox) I truly admired; I ordered his book Nafanua: Saving the Samoan Rain Forest. All were people, like myself, who had benefited from drugs derived from nature (except the ethnobotanist, who has helped develop drugs from natural sources). I had some time left over on Monday so did a bus tour of DC…mostly because I love hearing about DC trivia. For example, Washington has an exact replica of the Liberty Bell, but twice the size…in Washington it is called the Freedom Bell. So interesting, the original liberty bell is engraved with the word “Pennsylvania”, but it is misspelled (one n and not two)…so to make it an exact replica, the word is also misspelled on the Freedom Bell. There’s lots of fun DC trivia.

Tuesday and Wednesday I was on Capitol Hill to help promote the Global Conservation Act, which will help our nation coordinate efforts worldwide to preserve nature and nature’s pharmacy. I met with a representative who worked as a police officer for 33 years before entering politics, and who wrote a book about his capture of a serial killer, Chasing the Devil. All of the proceeds from the book go to helping kids born to crack and heroin addicted mothers; I ordered the book the day I met him. I learned of politicians who are truly caring and who truly want to make a difference. Many support efforts to conserve nature. It changed my view of politics and politicians. There are many good people on Capitol Hill who serve us well.

Thursday I had a “free day”, and after walking almost 10 miles to sight-see during the week, I decided to just curl up with a book in my hotel room, though I did visit Lafayette Park. Then I spent the rest of the day traveling…to Reagan airport, then to O’Hare, then the bus ride to Indiana, then the 45 minute drive home from the bus stop. Amazing that it’s only a two hour flight to DC, but the travel in the end takes the better part of a day (plane was late, of course).

So though I love DC and loved my experience there, I’m glad to be home! But I have lots of good memories and learned so much…and met several people I hope to stay in touch with!

not done yet reviewed for the cmaj

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 03:45:58 +0000

I have recovered from chemo but a week end at the Folk Festival and a night of insomnia have left me completely brain dead.

In lieu of any original content on my part, I wanted a share a wonderful review of Not Done Yet, published in this month’s Canadian Medical Association Journal.

A physician who treats breast cancer patients might wonder what this blog-cum-book could offer a busy professional whose daily practice likely holds its own heartbreaking quota of Lauries…

However, Kingston’s book provides the detail and emotional shadings that give meaning to these stark, exterior facts. The honest telling of a singular story weaves the experience of cancer into the whole cloth of a life, reworked after a devastating rupture. She vividly integrates events and see-sawing emotions…

Comfortable in her lay-expert role and an inveterate listmaker, she draws from the negative encounters to compile pointers for health care professionals: “Don’t look horrified when I tell you I have metastatic breast cancer; … Don’t ask me questions about my treatment[s] that are irrelevant to the procedure being performed and/or outside your sphere of knowledge [p 190]“

The author of the review, Sharon Batt, is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Bioethics at Dalhousie University. She is also the author of the book, Patient No More: The Politics of Breast Cancer about her own experience.

Many thanks to my friend N. (herself the editor of Women Who Care – an upcoming book about “Canadian Women’s Personal and Professional Experiences of Health Care and Caring”) for submitting my book to the CMAJ for review.

You can download the full pdf of the review here.

getting there the hard way

admin — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:30:23 +0000

At the end last month, I attended the 10th Annual Conference For Young Women Affected By Breast Cancer. The conference was a wonderful experience, the getting there, however, was a traumatic experience.

The kind of experience that made me think that if I never see the inside of an airplane again, it will be too soon.

Please bear with me (or feel free to move on to more interesting places) while I rant. This is my story.

February 25

1-At 8:15am (my flight is at 11:15 and I live fifteen minutes from the airport but I have become ~~paranoid~~ extremely cautious about long lines and security), as I the taxi pulls up, I get a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. I ask my spouse to check on my flight status. It turns out that it’s been cancelled. The cab driver is none too pleased when I send him on his way.

2-Wait on hold for an hour so that I can re-book my flight. It turns out that the big storm in New York has caused many flights to be cancelled (I was scheduled to go via Newark). My new flight will take me via Detroit.

3-Leave for the airport at 1:30pm for a 4:30pm flight. End up waiting for half an hour for ticket agents to finish their break and check me in. I truly don’t mind that staff take breaks. It is a little annoying when they are doing so in full view of lined up passengers. Couldn’t they go have a coffee or something? Couldn’t Delta have other staff cover breaks? Do they all have to go on break at the same time?

4-Clear security and proceed to the bar near my gate. Have a big beer and a sandwich. Given what follows, I end up being very grateful for the sandwich.

5- Settle in at the gate only to learn that my flight has been delayed by an hour.

6-Board airplane and sit on the tarmac for 40 minutes as the wings are de-iced. I have a good book and lots of time to make my connection, so I’m not remotely worried.

7- Land in Detroit with an hour to spare beofre my flight to Atlanta. The flight attendant asks that all those with less than 25 minutes to make their connections be let off first. We then sit on the tarmac for an hour, growing increasingly anxious, as there is too much of a logjam to get to the gate.

8- Get off the plane after my connecting flight was scheduled to leave but note that the Departures screen indicates that my flight is still boarding. Sprint through two terminals and across the airport.

9- Arrive at my gate out of breath and with my heart pounding, to be told that a) my flight has left and b) there are no more flights to Atlanta that evening. I am directed to another gate to re-book my flight. The agent tells me that he has “no idea” whether I will be offered a hotel for the night.

10-Try to re-book by scanning my ticket. When that doesn’t work, I join a very long line, in which I stand for three hours.

I’ve worn myself out just writing this. I’m going to go do something else now. I’ll conclude this riveting story tomorrow. Do you have a travel horror story? Want to share it in the comments?

Cancer Awareness Ribbon Pins

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 05:46:06 +0000

Most people are familiar with the pink cancer awareness ribbons that symbolize breast cancer, it seems that these pink beauties are everywhere. But, did you know that there are many other kinds them out there that represent different kinds of cancer that affect women all around the world? You might have seen one or two different colored pins and not even known what they meant. Here are some of the other colors of cancer awareness ribbons so you will know what they mean the next time that you see them:

Teal This color of cancer awareness ribbons are for ovarian cancer. While this cancer isn’t as prevalent as breast cancer, its numbers are, unfortunately, on the rise. So, when you see a teal cancer awareness ribbon or pin, you will know what they stand for.

Peach This color of cancer awareness ribbons are for uterine cancer. This type of cancer is also not one that is mentioned much, but is a killer if not detected early enough and fought correctly.

Lavender This color of are for gynecological cancer. This encompasses several different kinds of cancers, from ovarian to cervical, basically anything that has to do with the female reproductive organs falls under this category.

Teal and White This color are for cervical cancer. This cancer is hard to detect as well, unless it is screened for, but, when caught early, can be removed and treated.

All of these cancer awareness ribbons and pins are different colors to distinguish between the different types of cancer. It helps for survivors and loved ones to spread their message of hope and survival to those who may not have heard of this particular type of cancer and make sure that other women have their screenings to ensure that they catch these potentially fatal diseases early enough for treatments to be effective. So, the next time that you see different colored cancer awareness ribbon pins, be sure to ask the wearer about it and share their story with you. It might just be the motivation that you need to see your doctor and get screened or to push a friend or family member to get their screening. After all, women are more likely to push their friends and family to get in to see their doctors sooner than later. And, like the breast cancer pins and other types of cancer awareness merchandise, most of the proceeds go toward research and the search for a cure.

Source

About the Author
http://www.rainbowofhopecanada.ca Cancer Awareness Ribbon Pins from Rainbowof Hope to raise cancer awareness among Canadians

Health | Mesothelioma | Cancer » Breast Cancer

buzzing brain

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