What alternative treatment of breast cancer involves the consumption of certain substances that are supposed to fight tumor cells. The mistletoe may help increase immune activity and cancer deaths, and various herbs to cleanse the blood and nourish the body. Other treatments are acupuncture, massage, stress reduction, and exercise. It is possible for acupuncture to treat symptoms such as nausea, fatigue and hot flushes, and nerve problems ease. The help of massage relaxes the body and can depression and lymphatic obstruction, and increased immune activity decrease. The reduction of tension also helps patients relax and can help them to the emergency to cope with a diagnosis of breast cancer is. The exercises like yoga can help their patients to worry and to improve physical health.

There are several reasons why the alternative treatment of breast cancer patients over standard medical treatment might prefer. Some prefer holistic medicine and natural methods because they believe that the harmful medical procedures and unreliable. For example, they fight that mammograms are very expensive, they still give inaccurate results and may even increase tumor spreading, or they believe that the hormonal imbalance hormone therapy might actually cause. Others might find holistic ways to treat breast cancer patients because they help treat the emotional aspect of having breast cancer and the physical impact a call, and may the alternative treatment of breast cancer in addition to standard medical procedures.

Whether or not the alternative treatment of breast cancer is effective, the absolute benefits to patients psychologically, and even if treatment is not “really might be,” the results. A placebo effect nonetheless improves the health of the patient and ultimately, the recovery is the goal of any treatment.

In the latest survey by a team of Columbia University, USA, and published by the journal Nature, is located two genes that appear to work together in order to activate other cells that cause cancer.

Researchers say the discovery raises the hope of developing a cancer treatment. Genes, C / EPB and Stat3, are active in 60% of patients with glioblastoma. Patients who participated in the study who showed evidence of both active genes have died within the first 140 days of diagnosis. While half of patients with these genes remained inactive alive after that time passed.

Master Control

Study leader, Antonio Iavarone, said that “when (the genes) are activated simultaneously work together to activate hundreds of genes that turn other brain cells in a highly aggressive and migratory cells,” he said.

Iavarone added that the discovery means that “delete both genes simultaneously, with the help of a drug combination can be a powerful therapy for such patients, for whom no satisfactory treatment exists. When research scientists silenced these genes in human glioblastoma cells injected into a mouse, completely blocked its ability to form tumors.

The next step for the Columbia team is trying to develop drugs that have the same effect. Using art techniques, the researchers plotted the complex network of molecular interactions that allowed them to follow the behavior of glioblastoma cells.

Etiology

Many agents have been identified and are often associated. Conceptually, there are 2 types of agents that promote cancer, responsible for cell mutations (mutagens) and those who are responsible for promoting the transfer. Some factors, like tobacco, are both mutagens and promoters.

Chemical

They are very numerous, and the leader in tobacco is responsible for most cancers of the lung.
Tobacco remains the leading cause of cancer, of course, lung cancer and airways but beyond digestive cancers, kidney, urinary …

Alcohol is involved, particularly in the development of gastrointestinal cancers, but beyond in cancers of the oral cavity, larynx and even the female breast.

The frequent association of alcohol and tobacco consumption constitutes the largest share in the origins of cancer deaths.

Occupational Pathology recognizes many cancers due to chemical or environmental:

* Skin cancer: arsenic, pitch, tar and oil, coal.
* Head and neck cancers: timber, nickel, chromic acid, zinc chromate.
* Broncho-pulmonary and pleural: asbestos, silica, arsenic, nickel, iron oxide.
* Bladder cancer: aromatic amines, dyes derived from benzidine.
* Liver cancer: arsenic, vinyl chloride monomer
* Prostate cancer: cadmium
* Brain tumors: nitrosated derivatives
* Leukemia benzene

Habits and Lifestyles

It is now apparent that the excess of certain fats in the diet and smoking and excess salt are contributing factors in the occurrence of cancerous diseases, particularly in the digestive tract.

Radiation

Radiation is involved in the occurrence of cancers in that they cause changes within the cell nucleus by DNA damage.
Skin cancers are more frequent among subjects exposed to sunlight.
The nuclear accident at Chernobyl released cesium and radioactive iodine. The thyroid iodine selectively fixed and the number of thyroid cancer has increased (2,000 cases could be attributed to the accident) in areas affected by the nuclear cloud.

Hormones, Viruses, Parasites

Hormones

Estrogens, female hormones are a factor of growth of some cancer cells
Virus

15% of human cancers have a viral cause established

* Certain leukemia and lymphoma
* Epstein Barr virus is associated with Burkitt’s disease, some cancers of the nasopharynx, some Hodgkin’s disease (variety of lymphoma)
* Virus hepatitis B and C is involved in the occurrence of primary liver cancer
* The papilloma virus, sexually transmitted diseases, are involved in cervical cancer
* HIV / AIDS is involved in the occurrence of Kaposi’s sarcoma and malignant lymphoma non-Hodgkin

Parasites

Schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium, a parasite of African waters in the East, is involved in the occurrence of bladder cancer.

Genetic factors

Genetic factors are implicated in cancers called “hereditary”, related to genetic transmission of the mutation: some breast and colon. They represent 5% of all cancers.

Some environmental habits are involved in the occurrence of cancers known family, without putting in evidence of transmission of specific genes.

Prevention

Prevention can be 3 types:

* Primary prevention: it’s all measures aimed at preventing the occurrence of disease in the general population
* Secondary prevention: it concerns individuals who are exposed to a risk but are not yet ill
* Tertiary prevention: it affects patients, to encourage them not to expose themselves to risk

For most cancers, the curative treatment remain disappointing, even if success is emerging in certain pathologies.
But

* Is the location of the disease requires a significant mutilation (removal of one lung, larynx removed, removal of the esophagus, removal of the bladder) to try to cure the patient
* Either the disease has already spread throughout the body and the treatment is simply to contain the evolution thereof.

No medication has made its case today in the primary prevention of cancer.
Thus, the only “treatment” of an effective cancer prevention, ie removing the causes of cancer.
Some cancers may decrease more than 90%, if living, collective and individual, the causes of these cancers.
Tobacco

The cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 95% of lung cancers.
The bladder cancer is directly linked to tobacco by the action of tars absorbed with the smoke, being eliminated in the urine, stagnate in the bladder.
Alcohol

Associated with tobacco is the leading cause of cancer of the pharynx and larynx in France.

Solar Ultraviolet Radiation

The incidence of skin tumors has increased steadily since the increased exposure to sunlight and in his early childhood.
Early sex

The incidence of cancer of the cervix is directly related to the early and multiple sex without a condom.
It is interesting to emphasize the preventive vaccine against the papilloma virus is now supported by the National Health Insurance.

Antioxidants and Cancer

Real antidote formidable free radicals, antioxidants arouse passion undeniable.

While many studies confirm basic daily their major involvement in many diseases, the discordance of clinical studies, the designs often empirical or imaginary, may lead to some disappointment and a real ambiguity.

This is particularly true for one of the most difficult: the management of oxidative stress in cancer.

The difficulty here is that certain antioxidants or antioxidant cocktails, in some cases, at certain doses, may protect the tumor, or even promote tumor proliferation.

It is well recognized, however, that the reactive forms of oxygen (free radicals) involved in the pathogenesis of many cancers.

Indeed, free radicals in excess uncontrolled by inadequate antioxidant defenses, created by oxidizing certain bases, mutations and strand breaks in DNA and initiating carcinogenesis.

However it appears that their effects involve more complex mechanisms, particularly by inhibiting or otherwise stimulating the expression of genes involved in regulating the proliferation or cellular differentiation or apoptosis (apoptosis is the programmed death of certain cells, especially those with abnormal cancerous).

Many studies (including studies SUVIMAX) have shown the benefits of antioxidants in the prevention of many cancers, and it is unanimously recognized that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is an essential preliminary step to prevention.

Things are complicated considerably when it comes to proposing strategies antioxidant in cancer and specifically during treatment by radio and chemotherapy in order to “treat” their oxidative effects.

At high concentrations, free radicals can induce apoptosis of cancer cells (programmed death), and is in fact a means to destroy tumor cells.

Treatment with radiotherapy, as many molecules used in chemotherapy are based mainly on the induction of an overproduction of free radicals in tumor cells, and this mechanism would be responsible for at least part of their antitumor effect.

The anticancer drugs can induce production of free radicals belong to different classes, among which we note:

Intercalating agents, anthracyclines such as doxorubicin, the topoisomerase inhibitors, antimetabolites as of 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin C and platinum derivatives such as cisplatin and oxaliplatin, taxanes and hormone receptors as tamoxifen.

Understandably so easily that any antioxidant can potentially oppose the action of these treatments and limit their effectiveness.

However, one major limitation of these molecules derive their toxicity on normal cells and many therapeutic protocols lead to some irreversible damage.

Some anticancer drugs are toxic to certain special organs, anthracyclines have a toxic effect on the heart related to the production of free radicals that oxidize the lipid structures of cells and mitochondria, others have pulmonary toxicity related to a irreversible fibrosis, also linked to the release of free radicals.

It may therefore appear reasonable to try to oppose or at least limit this toxicity ‘pro-oxidant’.

The difficulty is to limit the toxic effects without compromising treatment efficacy.

Many antioxidants have been proposed to reduce the side effects of cancer treatments, such as N-acetyl cysteine or Co-Enzyme Q10 has shown interest in the prevention of anthracycline cardiotoxicity.

More recently many teams are interested to SOD (super oxide dismutase), and more specifically to chemical compounds that mimic the activity of SOD.

Many compounds have been tested, some with only mimicking the activity of SOD, but the most interesting are those who also have an activity ‘catalase’ and glutathione reductase, two key enzymes in the detoxification and antioxidant protection of the cell.

Very recent studies have shown that treatment with N-acetyl cysteine, a precursor of glutathione, induced an increase in tumor cell proliferation, while some mimetic of SOD and the glutathione reductase decreased.

These results confirm the extraordinary complexity of the subject and that any antioxidant supplements “blind” in the context of cancers and their treatment is avoided.

These new approaches and undoubtedly promising, still require a rigorous monitoring biological markers of oxidative stress, knowing that the rate of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and peroxidase and glutathione reductase are not reliable markers of oxidative stress.

Finally, if things are simpler in prevention, we must not forget however, that studies have shown that some high-dose antioxidants such as beta carotene increased the risk of cancer.

Antioxidants are undoubtedly significant interest in preventing cancer as many degenerative diseases.

Their use in the legitimate aim to restrict the pro-oxidant deleterious effects of radio and chemotherapy of cancers, however, must be very cautious in the current state of our knowledge.

Such strategies can be thought that in a medicalized, and guided by a rational biological seriously.

It is however legitimate to support the oxidative stress of all patients treated by radio and / or chemotherapy, remote cures and respect the few rules dictated by the work we have, and again at s relying on diagnostic biological screening of oxidative stress.

Individual screening

There are also cases of individual screening legitimate outside the defined group, for some cancers.
Screening should be supervised by a consultation of individual risk assessment by the physician.

Clinique

Due to the development mode and location, a cancer is revealed by clinical symptoms related to it invades the body, in situ and near, and the disorders it engenders.

Mass Syndrome

The discovery of a tumor, usually irregular and hard to palpate, guides to the diagnosis:

* Lump in the breast tumor breast
* Swallowing disorders: esophageal tumor
* Digestive disorders: gastrointestinal tumor
* Headache, vomiting, seizures: brain tumor
* Pollakiuria: bladder tumor

Local Invasion and Locoregional

The tumor invades the body and causes malfunctions or runs nearby:

* Dysphonia by flooding of a head and neck cancer
* Constipation by invasion of colon tumors
* Phenomenon of orange peel at the skin tissue against invasion by a breast cancer
* Swelling below the tumor compression of the drainage system: large arm of breast
* Pain from nerve damage in their peripheral course: ischial bone tumors

Hemorrhage

The cancerous tumor requires a blood supply system important to feed all the cells, and this system of neo vessels are fragile, so easily bleeds.
It is a way of revealing common cancers:

* Hemoptysis in lung cancer
* Hematemesis and melena in stomach cancer
* Haematuria in bladder cancer
* Hémospermie in prostate cancer
* Rectal bleeding in rectal cancer
* Bleeding in cancer of the cervix during sex and endometrial cancer

Discovery of a Metastasis

In 15% of cases, cancer is found by a distant metastasis of the original tumor, which may sometimes not be found.

* Lymph node metastasis: lymph indurated
* Liver Metastasis: digestive disorders, pain, jaundice or liver
* Pulmonary Metastasis: incidental findings on radiographs or breathlessness
* Metastasis cerebral seizures occurring in adults with no history of epilepsy

Investigations
Radiological Diagnosis

* Radiographic pulmonary tumor metastases in the lung, pleura and chest wall
* Radiographic bony tumor and metastasis to the skeleton
* Mammography: tumor in the breast
* Ultrasound: This review differentiates formations full of cysts. The main indications are tumors of the thyroid, liver metastases, tumors of the pancreas, ovaries, testes. It can also take samples guided percutaneous needle puncture for analysis of tissues. Some ultrasound probes are called endocavitary such probes introduced into the esophagus (digestive tumors), rectum (prostate tumors), vagina (gynecological).
* Scanner: tumors in the brain, neck, abdomen, pelvis
* MRI: brain tumors and soft tissue being evaluated versus the scanner
* Scan: mainly useful in early diagnosis of bone metastases, it is mainly a test to monitor recurrence

Endoscopy

The major advantage of endoscopy is beyond the possible vision of the tumor to be able to biopsy the tumor to confirm the diagnosis of cancer.

Biology

Some tests are needed to make an accurate diagnosis of cancer, others can classify cancers based on the achievement by metastases (liver ,…); others to assess the general condition Topic (anemia, inflammation, infection ,…)
The search for tumor markers, substances produced mainly by tumor cells, can sometimes detect a tumor even clinically silent, it can mostly follow the evolution of the tumor, its regression or its recurrence.
Today, only 4 markers are useful in early detection of cancer:

* Calcitonin: medullary thyroid cancer, rare, familial
* HCG and free hCG?: Cancer of the placenta in women at risk
* Alpha-fetoprotein: liver cancer in carriers of hepatitis B and C and cirrhosis

Surgery

The cancer surgery can be of different types depending on its purpose, which derives directly from the classification of cancer:

* Radical surgery: total excision of the tumor and the organ and the lymph nodes draining
* Limited surgery: excision of the entire tumor, and limits of surgery in healthy tissue
* Debulking: the surgery is only a first step of therapy, reduction of tumor volume to increase the impact of adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy
* Surgery for metastases: metastases appear some time after the initial treatment of cancer. The removal of a single such metastasis can make a prolonged clinical remission
* Palliative surgery: often it is addressed to complications of metastatic bone fractures. The surgery reduces the functional impairment and pain
* Surgery pain: it introduced when the medication is more effective

Radiotherapy

Radiation therapy is part of the armamentarium in oncology. His place is decided by the entire multidisciplinary team that deals with the subject.

It may have different objectives:

* Healing: its purpose is to sterilize all of the tumor cells and thus cure cancer
* Workaround: its aim is to halt the progression of the tumor to minimize complications locoregional
* Symptom: its aim is to relieve the painful symptoms

It may be of several types:

* External: the source of radiation is applied through the skin
* Internal or brachytherapy: the source of radiation is applied in contact with the tumor

Technical

The anatomical coordinates of the tumor are identified, through advanced technology medical imaging, to delineate a radiation zone comprising the entire tumor and a minimum of healthy tissue. Parts of the body healthy will be protected by protecting caches radiation. The radiation dose will depend on the tumor volume and type of cancer.

Complications

The skin is the front line in case of external radiation: The main complication is the drought that may range from simple discomfort to the obligation to delay treatment.
The mucous membranes may also be affected by drought: lower production of saliva, swallowing pain, cystitis, proctitis.

Chemotherapy

Most substances used in cancer chemotherapy affect cell division by targeting the cells to multiply rapidly. They damage cells and cause cell death.

But research has not uncovered substances selectively targeting cancer cells, other cells of the body that divide rapidly are also affected, causing the known side effects of chemotherapy:

* Alopecia
* Digestive problems
* Disruption of the blood cells

Several classes of drugs are available, including modes of action are different, which explains the frequent association of molecules in therapeutic protocols, and new molecules are discovered and tested regularly. Chemotherapy may be the only treatment of cancer and can also reach cancer cells that escaped the primary tumor, and which were not accessible to surgery or radiotherapy.

Hormone

Some cancers are known hormone, because the development of cancer cells is controlled by hormones. The removal of this stimulus will cause a reduction of the tumor. The materials used act by blocking the hormone receptors of cells.

Other treatments

These are treatments whose mechanisms of action are varied, whose effectiveness is highly variable depending on the subjects and type of cancer, to provide relief to the patient.

* Molecules limiting destruction by bone metastases
* Molecules restricting cell proliferation: interferon
* Molecules stimulating the immune system: IL
* Directly antibodies directed against tumor cells

Research is evolving.

Monitoring Post Treatment

The post-treatment surveillance is well-defined protocols.
Typically, a battery of tests is performed regularly.
In many cases, after treatment, the patient no longer bears any visible trace of his illness is in complete remission. This remission may last for some patients and certain cancers, until the end of life. This is the case for many cancers, breast, esophagus, rectum, prostate.

The breast is composed of different tissues that are subjected to hormonal changes experienced by every woman in every menstrual cycle and throughout his life. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and many other factors modify it.

There is a glandular tissue is distributed in clusters. He is in charge of producing milk during lactation. There is a fibrous tissue that supports the breast and fatty tissue that cushions. As in other organs, there are arteries, veins and nerves that maintain the circulation, can give nutrition and sensitivity. An important role played by the lymphatic system defends possible tumors and infection. It is responsible, so to speak, to clean breast of “waste products”, diverting them to the lymph nodes found in the armpits and supraclavicular fossae. It is for this reason that not all breast examination must never forget these regions.

Risk Factors

There are a number of factors that may predispose a woman to suffer from breast cancer.

* The diet rich in animal fat and overweight.
* Breast cancer is apparently not hereditary, however, those women with a family history of breast cancer are more at higher risk and should be monitored more closely.
* It is more common in women who began their rules and early evening are gone.
* The disease is more common in women without children or who have had beyond the first 30 years.

Benign breast lesions

Fortunately, most of the changes that occur in the breast are benign. These include:

* Fibroadenoma. It is a solid tumor that occurs primarily in young women. It has a very low malignant potential.
* Fibrocystic breast disease. It’s “a way of being” of the breast. They are very fibrous breasts with a tendency to form cysts. Are difficult to scan both the doctor and patient, but no breasts are abnormal.
* Mastitis. Breast infections are. Appear more frequently after birth. With proper treatment and hygienic measures are usually solved without problems.
* Duct ectasia. Level are dilated ducts of the breast can cause discharge from the nipple retraction and sometimes the same.

Benign breast lesions

There can be a series of changes in the breast that every woman should know, since often warn that there is some alteration in the breast. Do not panic but be alert and see a specialist.

* Increased size of one breast in a short period of time. Very often one of the two breasts is larger than the other, but not normal the sudden growth of one of them.
* Palpation of a package for small.
* Discharge from the nipple. It is useful to look at the color of it.
* Changes in the skin. Redness, eczema …
* Alterations to the level of the areola or nipple. Ulceration, retraction …
* Pain in the breast and pectoral region.

After eighteen years of first sexual intercourse, it is necessary to perform an annual gynecological examination in which should include a full assessment of the breasts.

Breast self-examination. The breast is an organ that can reach them easily. We see and we can touch. Every woman should know your breasts, see the changes that occur in them. This technique is very simple, painless, safe and convenient, but nevertheless only two thirds of women practiced once a year and third once a month as recommended. Often it is through ignorance or how to do it for fear of finding “something wrong”. What we want to achieve with this informative text is to clarify their doubts.

A good time for self exploration is a week after menstruation. In cases where there is no menstruation can be done in the first week of each month. The steps are:
Visual inspection

Naked from the waist up, stand in front of a mirror and look. First with his arms folded, then raised them. You have to watch that there is no deformity, blemish, bulge, shrink …

Squeeze a little to rule out any nipple discharge.
Palpation

The woman must be lying

The arm of the breast to explore should be placed behind the head and felt with the opposite hand with fingers fully extended. If you find something that looked strange, will be explored at the same level the opposite breast and compared. Do not forget the armpits to feel any lumps however small.

If during these maneuvers will find some alteration, should not be alarmed, but contact your gynecologist.

Diagnostic methods

- Finally, when doing a mammogram? Are its radiations harmful?. At 35 years should have a mammogram call “DB” in order to put images with which to compare future. After forty years, should get a mammogram at least every two years. Before age 35, by the special characteristics of the breast at the time, often more useful ultrasound, although the doctor will assess the most appropriate in each case. With mammography has been made to detect cancers in early stages that had not yet given clinical symptoms. It has proven to be a safe technique with minimal radiation risk.

If a lesion was detected by fine needle aspiration or biopsy, get a sample of it that will be decisive for the type of operation performed.

In recent years the number of cases of breast cancer has been increasing and many of them if they had caught earlier would not have claimed the lives of many patients. That is why it now considers the early diagnosis of breast cancer is the most important factor in reducing the mortality from the disease. Yet this does not intend to frighten, but to get a proper diagnosis of benign and malignant diseases of the breast.

In summary, the most important thing is to make a correct early detection of breast cancer to achieve healing of it and a good prognosis. Know that you play a key role in controlling their health. The person who best knows his mom is you, therefore, is best placed to detect changes in it.

“Parents of young children should be cautious when carrying children on holiday in very sunny places along the sea and where people are all day sun exposure,” said Lori Crane, Department of Community Health School of Public Health of Colorado.

Or tumor growth Moles (nevi) are the first sign of melanoma, the form most lethal skin cancer. In the U.S. alone is estimated that each year the evil afflicting more than 62,000 people and more than 8,000 die from the disease.

According to Crane, parents mistakenly believe that sunscreens are not perfect.

He explained that these products offer some protection but is also likely that children remain in the sun beyond the prudent time which increases the danger, he said.

“We recommend that to reduce the risk activities for boys in the shade between 10 am and 4 pm. And if they must be outdoors, using long-sleeved shirt.

In their study to 681 children born in 1998, scientists found that in the years before the examination to be undertaken to meet 7 years, moles of less than 22 mm increased 5 percent.

“The holidays can be a risk factor for melanoma,” said Crane