Cancer Treatment

CAM stands for Complementary and Alternative Medicine which is usually given to cancer patients or to certain serious diseases. Of course there are standard treatment options for all sorts of illnesses specifically cancer. However, CAM is administered at the same time in order to help relieve the pains and symptoms of cancer. They are done, nevertheless, after a careful evaluation of a patient's state and with the permission of a doctor. The following are some of the commonly used complementary and alternative medicines:

Raditional. This employs oriental methods of healing such as homeopathy, acupuncture, ayuverda, naturopathy, Chinese medicine.

Body. This form of therapy is based on the belief that human touch can heal. Examples of this are massage, tai chi, chipropractic, and body movement.

Diet and herbs. Many of the diseases arise due to nutritional imbalance. Hence, aside from medicine, another best way to overcome them is through proper nutrition by eating a healthy and balanced diet.

It's difficult knowing that your loved one has cancer. But don't you think being the one who has cancer is more difficult? A friend, an officemate, a relative no matter who the victims of cancer are, they need our understanding. We are the ones who have to adjust in dealing with cancer victims.They become more sensitive and emotional. They may become annoying sometimes, expect them to do a lot of whining and crying. So what should you do? Never forget that they are suffering from cancer not fever. The best thing to do is try to understand them, if you do that then everything else will follow. You will take good care of them once you understand what they are going through. They need unconditional love and appreciation. Let them feel that they are helping you and that they are not being a burden. Don't let cancer change your relationship to the victim. They need you.

Just when we thought the genome project was over, another one is heading for a major government funding.

Cancer is the major disease of our time, and many believe that it is curable compared to viral diseases like AIDS. Cancer curability has so far eluded medical science, but maybe with a complete bluprint of cancer genetic code, we could begin the serious business of eliminating destructive cell growth among humans. The project, named The Cancer Genome Atlas, will have a total price tag of a billion dollars. Already, The National Cancer Institute, has already pledged $100 million for the project to begin. Another $100 million will come from the National Genome Research Institute.

Cancer develop because of minor genetic errors, currently too small for science to identify. With a complete mapping of how cancer cells originate, at the very least specifying drug treatments for various types of cancer will be more accurate.

The effects of technology have made wonders in curing cancer. To say the least, advancement in curing cancer has been established and gaining interest among cancer patient. With the technology that medicine possesses, chemotherapy, which is the best known cure for cancer will not be possible. In contrast not all scientific innovations are to be characterized as medical miracles. In fact some are detrimental to health and hazardous to the overall physical state of humans. Just take mobile phones as classic examples of the aforementioned distinction. It has been speculated though not yet medically determined that cellular phones do cause some cancers. The radiations emitted by mobile phones are not helpful for the body. This information is alarming and that it needs to be studies with dedication.

People who have colon cancer are bound to receive a straightforward reply from a diagnostic physician: "You need to undergo surgery". Although difficult to accept in the beginning, the treatment of colon cancer may depend largely on a surgical success, and partly on the post-treatment procedures such as chemotherapy or radiation. For this chemotherapy helps a lot by prolonging the life of a person affected with a severe case of colon cancer malignancy. Radiation therapy, on the other hand, is said to help people who are affected with a rectal cancer.

The process of looking through and examining the colon is called colonoscopy. The surgery may involve removing a part or a whole colon--this will depend on the the location and characteristic of the tumor. Obstructions play a role in the removal of the colon and if this happens usually a bypass surgery is performed. If only some polyps are discovered to be carrying the cancer, then they could readily be removed, in lieu of the more invasive colon surgery itself (laparoscopy being the latest kind).

Cancer is one of the worst diseases that can take the life of anyone. A patient not only suffers from physical pain but also bears the emotional and psychological effects of the grave illness. Indeed, when one learns he has the terminal disease, it becomes tougher for him to face and live his life. It takes a lot of courage to accept the reality and at the same to give room for hope.

With the continuous medical researches and advancements, there are more treatment options available today that may prolong and even possibly cure most types of cancer. Yet aside from them, people especially the relatives of cancer patients should take note that there are also other factors that contribute to the recovery of a sick relative. Indeed, a patient has more strength to battle against his disease if he knows that he is sorrounded by relatives and family members who, day and night, attend to his needs and give him the care and support he needs.

Crushed pineapple can cure cancer. Sounds good and sounds cheap. Some scientists have discovered that pineapple molecules can be used to fight cancer.The two molecules that I am talking about are the ones that we can get after crushing pineapple stems from the group of enzymes bromelain.One molecule, known as CCS, blocks a protein called Ras, which is defective in approximately 30 percent of all cancers.The other, called CCZ, stimulates the body's own immune system to target and destroy cancer cells.These are CCZ and CCS molecules are also used to tenderise meat. Researchers said that they could block growth of a broad range of tumor cells, including breast, lung, colon, ovarian and melanoma.Let's hope that scientists make good use of these pineapples to fight cancer the safer and cheaper way.

Being diagnosed with cancer is something nobody wants to be. But for those who are, the stress, frustration, anger and confusion of the diagnosis is often overwhelming. In the heat of the moment, several vital questions that need to be asked are forgotten and subsequently never answered until much later or too late. For the sake of those newly-diagnosed, here's a list of the practical, but often forgotten questions to ask a doctor in the early stages of detection:

What stage of the cancer am I in? This question is a difficult one to ask, simply because we may not like the answer. Nevertheless, it has to be made known to you.

What treatment options do I have? This will help you decide the course of action you'll take in the course of your treatment.

Can I continue my work? This question might seem nonsensical, given the gravity of the situation, but in the long run, is quite a practical one to ask.

What treatment do you suggest? This is a question that your doctor should answer and one you should ask. If he knows your history, then he's more qualified than anyone else to tell you what you should do.

Cancer is a very serious disease. Fortunately, there are now many ways to fight it and prevent it from becoming worse than it already is. Unfortunately, these methods of fighting cancer bring with them some unpleasant side effects.

Take Chemotherapy for instance. Aside from the general feeling of weakness, fatigue and, for some, the formation of rashes around the mouth area, there is also the trademark of chemotherapy, the loss of hair.

While it may not bother most people, some, understandably, are quite self-conscious when it comes to hair loss, particularly women. So, a number of solutions have come about to remedy this side effect of chemotherapy. Some wear turbans to hide or make their baldness less obvious, while others wear hairpieces to disguise the fact that they are undergoing chemo, for reasons of their own.

The bottom line is, if you're undergoing chemo, there is always the chance that you're going to lose your hair. And no amount of Hair Formula 37 or hf37 is going to grow it back while you're undergoing it. Best to grin and bear it, then.

Chemotherapy is one of the more famous ways in which cancer is battled, and its trademark is the appearance of a bald head, worn as a badge of honor by many sufferers.

There are many, many different ways to be given chemotherapy, and how it is given often reflects what type of cancer it is. For example, someone with bladder cancer might receive an injection directly into the bladder (called intravesical) for a faster, more localized result.

Chemotherapy may be taken orally, by pill or liquid, intravenously, intramuscularly (directly injected into the muscle), intra-arterial (into the artery), intrapleural (into the chest cavity), intrathecal (into the spinal cord), subcutaneous (under the skin), intraperitoneal (into the abdominal cavity), intratumoral and intralesional (into the tumor or cancer itself).

Prostate cancer is one of the most widespread of all cancers, and it pays for all men to have themselves checked for it at some point in their lives. But then it'll mean that they'll have to endure a potentially embarrassing test: The Digital Rectal Exam.

A Digital Rectal Exam is an examination of the rectum, and the prostate. It is done to determine whether or not a man's prostate is normal, enlarged, smooth or bumpy, which may indicate that it may be cancerous. The term digital here is not meant to refer to any electronic instrument, but used to refer to the finger or "digit" that doctors insert into a man's rectum and feel around for the prostate.

Although not painful (as the hand of the doctor is gloved and lubricated) it is at least...an uncomfortable experience. But one that must be undergone to determine your prostate's and your health.

While cancer can be removed with other options such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, when the cancer is localized, or is in a tumor, surgery is often the way to go. Surgery will often remove only the tumor or the entire organ, depending on the spread of the cancer. There will often be a margin of healthy tissue that is removed, just to ensure that no cancerous cells are left.

Surgery is also done to determine the extent of the disease and to see if the cancer has spread to any other surrounding organs. This type of surgery is called staging.

Sometimes, surgery is also done to alleviate the symptoms of cancer, such as a blocked bowel or a compressed spine, and this type is known as palliative treatment, dealing only with the symptom and not the cause.

Radiotherapy is a common means of battling cancer, and is quite successful at it, too. But as with most cancer treatments, it is not without its side effects. One of these side effects is the drying of the mouth during treatment. This is due to the effect of radiation on the salivary glands, particularly if the radiation is being used to treat head or neck cancer. Patients often feel that their saliva is thick and swallowing is difficult. Dry mouth can be a serious condition, leading to painful mouth sores and tooth decay.

If dry mouth occurs during treatment, patients are recommended to add a few drops of glycerine to their water in order to make the water stick in the mouth longer. Patients are also advised to avoid sugary and spicy foods, as well as alcohol, caffeine and smoking.

The condition of dry mouth often stops with the cessation of the treatment.

In many cancers, early detection is very important. To this end, doctors have devised many ways to examine and diagnose the human body in order to better treat and detect these killer cells.

One such method for cancer detection is the colonoscope. It is a thin, flexible tube that is inserted into the patient's anus and is threaded through the rectum up to the colon. The tube contains a device that can view the inside of your colon in real time and can also detect polyps (little outgrowths of tissue) and take tissue samples for later examination. The video is transmitted to a video monitor, allowing the doctor to guide the colonoscope and examine the colon.

A colonoscopy may seem disgusting, but plays an important part in the fight against colon cancer.

Mastectomy is a word often met with fear and denial by women, especially breast cancer victims. The very mention of it sends chills down the spine of even the bravest sufferer. But why does it do so?

Mastectomy is a surgical procedure wherein all or part of the breast is removed to treat or halt the spread of cancerous growth within the affected part of the body. Mastectomy is often misinterpreted as the removal of the whole breast, but in truth, the removal of the whole breast is only a reluctant last option.

A mastectomy is a procedure done in the most desperate of situations. Having breast cancer does not automatically mean that a mastectomy will be performed. There are other available treatments for breast cancer available, not just a mastectomy.

It is, unfortunately, always a part of being afflicted with cancer. It is an inseparable fact that you will deal with it if you are diagnosed with cancer. What I'm talking about is pain. Pain can be good, in the sense that it can alert us to what is wrong in our system. But the pain that cancer brings is often made more unbearable by the fact that sometimes, you cannot do anything about it.

Sometimes pain is the result of a therapy or a dose of medicine. Sometimes it is the cancer itself that causes this very unpleasant sensation. There are a number of therapies that directly address the pain of cancer or as a side effect of other therapies. But sometimes pain is simply inevitable as a part of cancer. Many people see it as an unfair hand dealt to them, while the stronger ones see the pain as a test or ordeal, and grit their teeth and bear the pain. Which are you?

Biopsies are my least favorite kind of cancer detection method, but it is an essential tool in detecting, and eventually treating this disease.

There are three types of biopsies; all include the removal of possibly infected tissue from within your body for testing and evaluation. These are:

Needle biopsy - a tissue sample is obtained by a syringe, and the needle is often guided via x-ray or CT scan guidance.

Open biopsy - a tissue sample is taken by making an incision into the skin, and exposing the organ to be subjected for biopsy.

Closed biopsy - uses a visualization device that guides a physician to the part or organ of the body that needs to undertake the biopsy. Uses a smaller incision than an open biopsy.

In treating cancer, we hear the term therapy and then we hear the term complementary therapy. Therapy I would probably hazard to guess everyone knows, but not all of us are familiar with complementary therapy. What is it, anyway?

Complementary therapy is not the same thing as receiving a free mint on your pillow, or a free breakfast. That's a different type of complementary. In cancer, complementary therapy refers to the treatment or therapy used to treat the side effects of therapy such as chemo and radio. A therapy for the therapy, if you will. This can be done as a massage, acupuncture and even aromatherapy.

Most of us view needles as we would view the plague: Something best avoided. But today many cancer patients are now flocking to them as a means of relieving pain, not inflicting it.

The practice of acupuncture in the treatment of cancer pain is fast becoming widespread. Sterilized needles are inserted into key parts and nervous centers of the body to dull, lessen and in some cases remove pain completely from sufferers during surgery or treatment. This anesthetic effect of acupuncture is now widely used by medical professionals to relieve pain during some of the more excruciating treatments for cancer.

In the past, the patient undergoing treatment was often in so much pain that the administration of powerful painkillers was needed to ease it. Unfortunately, these medicines were a double-edged sword. They, too would cause a patient severe discomfort, and sometimes cause the patient to become addicted to them for their pain-relieving properties. The use of acupuncture lessened the chance of this happening to modern cancer patients, allowing them to be free of the harmful side effects of these treatments.

While some people may find the idea of needles in their flesh unsettling, cancer patients see them as a means to live a happier, pain-free life.

Of the many treatments of cancer available today, it is chemotherapy that is perhaps the most visibly noticeable if you are undergoing it.

Because chemotherapy makes you lose some or all of your hair as a result of the treatment, you will stick out like a sore thumb especially if you're a woman.

But for cancer patients, going bald is a heck of a lot better than the alternative.

Chemo (as it is often referred to) is a cancer treatment that involves the use of drugs to slow or kill off cancer cells via oral, topical or injected medication.

While effective, it does have side effects. It can lower the immune system, make the patient feel exhausted and/or nauseated and of course, the above-mentioned state of being folically challenged (that's bald for you other people).

Some people spend hundreds of dollars not to get bald. Cancer patients spend hundreds of dollars to become unintentionally bald. Life can be funny that way, isn't it?

Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in women today. An estimated 193,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in this year alone. Doctors advocate early detection as this can greatly improve a patient's chance of survival.

With this aim, a mammogram is crucial. A mammogram is an image taken of a breast, much like an x-ray, which can help greatly in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer.

A mamogram may not be pleasant, but is essential in the diagnosis of a woman's health. The breast is placed between two rigid plates and radiation is used to take an image of the breast. Radiation exposure is minimal, and the results are usually ready in a short period of time, usually minutes.

Early detection and treatment is essential to ensure the health of any cancer patient, whether they suffer from breast cancer or any other form of the disease. A mammogram is an efficient, but perhaps uncomfortable, way of knowing whether a person has the disease or not.