Many people with mesothelioma are interested in trying complementary and alternative cancer treatments. If the cancer makes you feel as though you have little control over your health, alternative cancer treatments may offer some hope. But many alternative cancer treatments are unproved and dangerous.
Alternative cancer treatments will not cure mesothelioma, but they may help you cope with signs and symptoms caused by mesothelioma and mesothelioma treatments. Common signs and symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, difficulty sleeping, and stress may be lessened by alternative treatments.
Use alternative cancer treatments as a supplement to treatments you receive from your doctor — not as a substitute for medical care. While alternative cancer treatments, such as acupuncture, may reduce nausea or pain, they generally aren't powerful enough to replace medications from your doctor. Work closely with your doctor to determine the right balance between traditional medicines and alternative cancer treatments.
These 11 alternative cancer treatments have shown some promise in helping people with mesothelioma.
Showing posts with label breast cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breast cancer. Show all posts
How To Detect Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. In 2009, approximately 194,280 patients are estimated to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, and 62,280 with carcinoma in situ. An estimated 40,610 will die of this disease. For a woman of average risk, the lifetime incidence of breast cancer is one in eight.
Screening of asymptomatic women has been accredited for the decline in mortality of breast cancer. The current recommendations from the American Cancer Society for normal-risk women are as follows: 1) Yearly mammogram starting at age 40. The age at which screening should be stopped should be individualized by considering the potential risks and benefits of screening in the context of overall health status and longevity; and 2) Clinical breast exam every 3 years for women in their 20's and 30's, and every year for women 40 and older. The evidence to justify mammography for population-based screening is derived from both randomized and several non-randomized clinical trials. Eight randomized trials totalling hundreds of thousands of patients include the Health Insurance Plan of New York, four studies from Sweden, one from the United Kingdom, and two from Canada. The US BCDDP (Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project), the largest study of mammography and clinical breast exam, also demonstrated that screening decreases breast cancer mortality.
During the past decade, advances in mammography include digital techniques and computer-aided detection. Film (non-digital) mammography has been estimated to have approximately 65-80% sensitivity at the desired specificity of 90%. The investigators from the DMIST (Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial) reported that the overall diagnostic accuracy of digital and film mammography is similar. However, digital mammograms are more accurate in women under the age of 50 years, pre-menopausal or peri-menopausal women, and those with radiographically dense breasts. Two years later, another large study compared film mammography with digital mammograms read with computer-aided detection software. The authors found that diagnostic specificity significantly decreases from 90.2% to 87.2% with computer-aided detection, whereas sensitivity does not change. The rate of biopsy increases by 19.7%. Thus, more expensive technology does not necessarily translate into better outcome.
In women at high risk for developing breast cancer, screening may also involve breast ultrasound and/or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
Screening of asymptomatic women has been accredited for the decline in mortality of breast cancer. The current recommendations from the American Cancer Society for normal-risk women are as follows: 1) Yearly mammogram starting at age 40. The age at which screening should be stopped should be individualized by considering the potential risks and benefits of screening in the context of overall health status and longevity; and 2) Clinical breast exam every 3 years for women in their 20's and 30's, and every year for women 40 and older. The evidence to justify mammography for population-based screening is derived from both randomized and several non-randomized clinical trials. Eight randomized trials totalling hundreds of thousands of patients include the Health Insurance Plan of New York, four studies from Sweden, one from the United Kingdom, and two from Canada. The US BCDDP (Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project), the largest study of mammography and clinical breast exam, also demonstrated that screening decreases breast cancer mortality.
During the past decade, advances in mammography include digital techniques and computer-aided detection. Film (non-digital) mammography has been estimated to have approximately 65-80% sensitivity at the desired specificity of 90%. The investigators from the DMIST (Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial) reported that the overall diagnostic accuracy of digital and film mammography is similar. However, digital mammograms are more accurate in women under the age of 50 years, pre-menopausal or peri-menopausal women, and those with radiographically dense breasts. Two years later, another large study compared film mammography with digital mammograms read with computer-aided detection software. The authors found that diagnostic specificity significantly decreases from 90.2% to 87.2% with computer-aided detection, whereas sensitivity does not change. The rate of biopsy increases by 19.7%. Thus, more expensive technology does not necessarily translate into better outcome.
In women at high risk for developing breast cancer, screening may also involve breast ultrasound and/or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
Ten Ways to Help Prevent Breast Cancer
1. Avoid (HRT) Hormone Replacement Therapy. Synthetic HRT increases the risk of Breast Cancer. In 2002, a huge double blind placebo study called “Women’s Health Initiative” sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) was stopped early because it was proven during the study that HRT causes breast cancer.
Natural Bio-identical hormones on the other hand are safe. They are made from botanical plants such as soy and yams. These plants are pharmaceutically processed to produce natural bio-identical progesterone or estrogen derivatives; they may come in cream or oral forms.
It is not difficult to determine if one needs some form of hormone balancing – if you feel perfectly well and have no symptoms listed below it is very unlikely that you need to do or change anything. However, a large number of peri-menopausal women that come to our clinic suffer from the following symptoms: fatigue, pre-menstrual breast tenderness, fibrocystic breast condition, short menstrual cycle (less than 28 days), anxiety, headaches, sleep disorders, low libido, depression and PMS. Women in menopause may have some of these symptoms in addition to hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and memory problems. If some of these complaints are present in a patient it is important to identify any hormonal deficiencies.
Natural Bio-identical hormones on the other hand are safe. They are made from botanical plants such as soy and yams. These plants are pharmaceutically processed to produce natural bio-identical progesterone or estrogen derivatives; they may come in cream or oral forms.
It is not difficult to determine if one needs some form of hormone balancing – if you feel perfectly well and have no symptoms listed below it is very unlikely that you need to do or change anything. However, a large number of peri-menopausal women that come to our clinic suffer from the following symptoms: fatigue, pre-menstrual breast tenderness, fibrocystic breast condition, short menstrual cycle (less than 28 days), anxiety, headaches, sleep disorders, low libido, depression and PMS. Women in menopause may have some of these symptoms in addition to hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and memory problems. If some of these complaints are present in a patient it is important to identify any hormonal deficiencies.
How Should Cancer Patients Treat Insomnia?
When someone is given a cancer diagnosis, they may be instantly overwhelmed by talk of a prognosis and treatment. Often, their lives change drastically at the moment they learn of the diagnosis. While there is a link between cancer patients and insomnia, it is one that is quite often neglected in the course of their care.
The reason that the cancer patients and insomnia link may not be discussed during doctor's appointments is pretty obvious. The patient is trying to take in a lot of new and frightening information, and has other things on his or her mind than how well they are sleeping at night.
The doctor also is trying to parlay all of that information, and many doctors fail to discuss the possibility that the patient may develop insomnia.
Some studies show that up to 50% of cancer patients suffer from insomnia. If the patient is undergoing chemotherapy, that number can be even higher.
The exact reason that such a big link
The reason that the cancer patients and insomnia link may not be discussed during doctor's appointments is pretty obvious. The patient is trying to take in a lot of new and frightening information, and has other things on his or her mind than how well they are sleeping at night.
The doctor also is trying to parlay all of that information, and many doctors fail to discuss the possibility that the patient may develop insomnia.
Some studies show that up to 50% of cancer patients suffer from insomnia. If the patient is undergoing chemotherapy, that number can be even higher.
The exact reason that such a big link
Use Diet to Prevent Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women. In a most recent cancer study, researchers announced that cancer costs the global economy nearly $900 billion a year—more than any other cause of death. The study also said that breast cancer is among the costliest forms of the disease, particularly in high-income countries, such as the United States. There may be many causes of breast cancer, one of which is a link to having too much estrogen (female hormone manufactured by the ovaries in women and in small amounts by the testicles in men) in the body. During menstruation, as well as in the latter part of each menstrual cycle, women often experience high estrogen levels. Increased estrogen may over stimulate cell growth in the breast as much as four times, and any excess of estrogen may increase the risk of cancer by stimulating cell growth in the breasts, ovaries and uterus in women. Cells dividing too rapidly may pose a risk of a genetic accident, resulting in alteration in the genetic structure of cells in the breast.
Accordingly, reducing estrogen may reduce a woman's risk of breast cancer. The question is: How to reduce the estrogen level in a woman's lifespan? The risk of breast cancer is significantly lower in Japan than that in the United States—about one-fourth. This discrepancy can be explained by the fact that the menstrual cycle of women in the United States is approximately 26 to 29 days, compared to the average of 32 days for women in Japan.
Accordingly, reducing estrogen may reduce a woman's risk of breast cancer. The question is: How to reduce the estrogen level in a woman's lifespan? The risk of breast cancer is significantly lower in Japan than that in the United States—about one-fourth. This discrepancy can be explained by the fact that the menstrual cycle of women in the United States is approximately 26 to 29 days, compared to the average of 32 days for women in Japan.
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