Breast Chemotherapy Treatment - LR

By Lee Reid

Breast chemotherapy is the cancer treatment used when the disease has attacked the mammary glands. Its purpose is to kill or to reduce in size the tumor consisting of cells that multiply very quickly compared to the normal rate of multiplication of normal cells. Breast chemotherapy can be of very many kinds depending on the combination of drugs that the doctor has selected for you. Correct information on the way the medication works as well as an analysis of the side effects and the optimistic evaluation factors ought to be part of the discussion between doctor and patient that precedes the treatment as such.

There are two ways of administering breast chemotherapy: orally in cycles established by the doctor or intravenously. The drug passes in the blood and then travels through the entire body attacking cells with a rapid growth rate. Even though breast chemotherapy is directed at breast cancer, the drugs that are recommended as treatment may act on whatever other unhealthy cells that may have already developed somewhere else than the breast. From this perspective doctors call breast chemotherapy a systemic form of treatment precisely because it may act all throughout the patient's organism.

Breast chemotherapy is often prescribed after mastectomy or lumpectomy and in this case it is known as adjuvant treatment. The patients undergo this type of treatment only when doctors are certain from analyses that cancer has not yet spread to any other parts of the body but the breast.

Another case when breast chemotherapy represents a necessity is when cancer has passed to other parts of the body starting from the lymph nodes. This particular spread is known as metastatic breast cancer and women rarely have this form at the time of the diagnosis.

Whichever of the breast chemotherapy treatments you are to receive it is important to know how you can figure out if it has any effect. This does not mean however that it is mandatory for you to experience side effects or otherwise your treatment is inefficient. Such an investigation approach is totally incorrect. Adjuvant breast chemotherapy may have no side effects but it has always proved to be very helpful as it impedes unhealthy cells from spreading or redeveloping in your body.

All in all, breast chemotherapy makes no easy treatment. It is probably the devastating treatment and the mutilation brought by breast cancer in itself that has increased awareness among women, making disease detection a lot easier and in the early stages of development. - 31973

About the Author:

Lee writes about several health topics, including Acupuncture for Arthritis.

Hair Loss And Chemotherapy - LR

By Lee Reid

One of the most frequent side effect of cancer treatments is chemotherapy hair loss. What is the reason why hair loss occurs during chemotherapy? The medication used in chemotherapy is extremely powerful and it destroys all the developing cancer cells, although they affect other body parts too. These medicines also attack other cells in the body that have a rapid growth; among these, the cells in the hair roots, as well.

The effects of chemotherapy on hair are not limited only to the scalp as the procedure affects the hair on the body, too. Thus, patients will experience the loss of eyebrows, eyelashes, pubic and armpit hair.

The variety of the drugs used in chemotherapy is incredibly high with hundreds of medicines available. Some of these will trigger chemotherapy hair loss more quickly than others, but some may not even cause such a side effect. The difference in chemotherapy drug doses is another aspect to consider when hair loss is under discussion, as hair loss ranges from thinning to complete baldness. Thus, make sure to discuss all such details with your doctor, in order to be prepared to cope with hair loss psychologically.

Hair usually starts falling out after 10-14 days from the beginning of the treatment. It may fall out quite fast, either in clumps or gradually. Chemotherapy hair loss remains a problem throughout the entire period of the treatment and a month afterwards. Half the hair will be gone without one even noticing. Luckily, in most cases, chemotherapy hair loss is a temporary effect. Hair will probably grow again within six months to one year after the cessation of the treatment. The new hair could have a slightly different shade of color, with the mention that even the texture could be altered too.

The hair recovery period after chemotorapy is six weeks on the average, and the growth rate will be somewhere around a quarter inch per month. When the hair starts growing back again, it might be a little different from the hair that was lost because of therapy. The color and texture alteration will be a first recovery sign and the hair will become what it used to be before the treatment the moment cellular pigmentation is functioning normally all over again. Unfortunately, chemotherapy hair loss cannot be prevented as none of the treatments available is completely free of such side effects. - 31973

About the Author:

Lee writes about several subjects, including health and travel. Her latest is about locating Airline Tickets to Orlando.

Chemotherapy Treatment Effects - LR

By Lee Reid

Chemotherapy refers to the treatment of a disease by means of chemicals meant to kill cells, typically cells of micro-organisms or cancer. This treatment works by attacking and killing cells which divide very quickly as cancer cells do. Unfortunately, chemotherapy destroys other cells with a rapid division speed which is normal for the body functions; this is the case with the cells in the digestive tract, hair follicles and bone marrow.

Hence, the chemotherapy effects usually damage these areas. The most frequent adverse reactions that become manifest during and after chemotherapy include myelosuppresion - decrease in the production of blood cells, mucositis - inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract, and alopecia - hair loss.

Chemotherapy effects or side effects can classified according to the extent of the adverse reactions into long and short term categories. Side effects of chemotherapy represent unwanted symptoms which occur as a direct result of taking a drug. It is not difficult to confuse drug side effects with cancer symptoms. Symptoms characterize the disease in fact, while the side effects represent natural adverse reactions to a chemical invasion in the body. Side effects vary depending on the type of drugs used in the treatment, with the mention that one single form of medication will not trigger all the possible adverse reactions in a patient.

In more general terms, chemotherapy harms those cells that divide at a quicker pace. The mouth, intestines, skin, hair, bone marrow (the spongy material that fills your bones and produces new blood cells) are mainly affected by chemotherapy. Since hair is growing all the time, the skin is constantly renewing itself and the lining of the mouth and digestive system have the same dynamics, then, the cells of all these body tissues must constantly divide to produce a steady supply of new cells. And, unfortunately, it is due to this division process that the chemotherapy drugs attack proper functioning body parts.

Chemotherapy effects and adverse reactions also vary from one patient to another. The intensity of the experience, and their evolution during the treatment depend on many various factors. These elements include the period during which the drug has been taken, the dose or amount of drug, the administration mode, the patient's overall health condition, as well as the combined use of chemotherapy medication and other remedies. Some chemotherapy effects represent serious medical conditions which must be dealt with; others, although upsetting, are not necessarily a major threat to the patient's health. It is also relevant to discuss the effects of chemotherapy with the doctor and the contact person at the treating center where the patient is given the treatment. - 31973

About the Author:

Lee writes about many different subjects, including where to shop for Affordable Prom Dresses.

Cancer And Chemotherapy LR

By Lee Reid

Chemotherapy is often the only choice cancer sufferers have to regain a next-to-normal health condition. In oncology, adjuvant chemotherapy plays an important role particularly in combination with other cancer treatments. Adjuvant chemotherapy represents an additional treatment administered to the patient following a surgical intervention as a means to prevent the possible development of the cancer cells that may have remained after the removal. The patient may relapse even if surgery has been performed because unfortunately, medicine is not sufficiently developed to be able to foresee whether cancer cells will reoccur or not.

Chemical-based treatments together with radiotherapy are part of the same adjuvant chemotherapy category prescribed by doctors to stop cancer spread. Statistics indicate that about a third of the patients who have received adjuvant chemotherapy treatment have resumed good health only through surgical intervention. For those who are not included in the above mentioned third, the long term aim of the adjuvant chemotherapy is to increase the life extent of the sufferer.

Adjuvant chemotherapy works for lots of cancer typologies from colon cancer to prostrate cancer, lung, breast and pancreatic tumors.

In terms of parallel treatments, adjuvant chemotherapy is complemented by neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. The latter is given to patients before the primary treatment and it may take the form of chemical drug-based treatment. For example, neo-adjuvant chemotherapy may be prescribed to a breast-cancer patient who will have to undergo surgery for breast removal. The aim of such a type of therapy is to reduce the tumor size so that there are fewer risks and a higher rate of success in the surgical intervention.

All in all, adjuvant chemotherapy is presently considered more effective when it is prescribed after the tumor removal rather than before it because the remaining cancer cells are fewer in number and, as a result, the drug is more powerful on them. The drugs specific to this type of treatment are most efficient when they are administered directly into the blood of the patient, that is, intravenously; another way of increasing drug efficiency is to use it locally in the exact body part attacked by cancer. - 31973

About the Author:

Lee writes about a variety of subjects, including fashion, such as Hello Kitty rain boots.

Understanding Chemotherapy Medicines For Cancer - LR

By Lee Reid

Once a patient is diagnosed with cancer, it is required that the doctor recommend him/her the appropriate types and dosages of cancer chemotherapy drugs. It is highly important that doctors take enough time and display enough patience in talking to the patient suffering from such a serious condition.

The importance of cancer chemotherapy is equal with that of the doctor-patient relationship, as the sufferer needs to understand the treatment, its side effects and consequences. When there is professional support and human compassion in the approach to the illness, cancer patients have higher chances of recovery thanks to the positive attitude.

The basis for cancer chemotherapy was put in 1940 when doctors used folic acid an nitrogen mustards in the role of antagonist drugs. With the growing number of tumor cases, cancer chemotherapy has apparently become an industry registering huge success on the market through the wide variety of drugs that it produces. Even though one may think that the world has impressively evolved since the 1940s, it is surprisingly enough to mention that most of the principles discovered back then in cancer chemotherapy still apply today.

On certain occasions cancer chemotherapy proves insufficient in the fight against the tumor growth. As a result, the combined chemotherapy regimen may not be sufficient and the doctor may recommend surgery. This procedure is not always one hundred percent certain in removing entirely the tumor and there are still chances that the cancerous cells may reoccur. So doctors and researchers have come up with an adjuvant cancer chemotherapy treatment that relies on drugs meant to prevent the recurrence of cancer and clear away any signs of cancer left after removing the tumor. This cancer chemotherapy adjuvant seems to have really lengthened the life of many patients suffering from colon cancer.

Whether you call it chemotherapy or drugs administration, the process is all the same and so are the risks of adverse reactions and the health threats. There are plenty of categories of cancer chemotherapy drugs, and anyone interested can research on the Internet or in books. Whichever the medium of information, keep in mind the fact that the benefits and the risks brought about by a certain medication have to be carefully investigated and analyzed in the context of a patient's medical history. - 31973

About the Author:

Lee writes about a wide variety of subjects, including where to find Affordable Maternity Clothes.

Can You Beat Stomach Cancer by using Traditional Herbal Remedies and Alternative Medicine?

By Grahaam A. E. Maartin

Stomach Cancer! The question we are going to ask is. Do herbal products like Graviola Max and Graviola Really work? The results seem very positive, enough to sayYes!

Many people are worried at the thought of developing Stomach Cancer! Does the phrase "Stomach Cancer" worry you? Powerful words are they not? Graviola and Graviola Max both seem to be very good herbal products, and they are available to youNow!

Usually, the large majority of doctors and medical practitioners although to be fair, not all, do not support the use of natural products like Graviola and Graviola Max in treating "Stomach Cancer". Often calling them "fringe or quack" remedies, simply because the medical institutions don't teach the students about them.

Evidence is growing however, in support of the fact that many of these botanicals may be really quite beneficial. Two of these herbal remedies in particularly, 'Graviola' and 'Graviola Max are showing some quite remarkable results in "Stomach Cancer" patients. Often in cases where chemotherapy and traditional treatment didn't work. Would you use it?

Way back in 2001 The HSI organisation (Health Sciences Institute) featured an article with the headline "Billion-dollar Drug Company nearly squashes astounding research on natural cancer killer". It goes on to say. "Cancer conquered with miracle tree from the Amazon found to be 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy". Can you believe that! 10.000 times stronger and yet some greedy pharmaceutical company tried to squash it because they couldn't patent a plant that could stop "Stomach Cancer". Shame on them! That tree was Graviola! .OK, so what exactly is Graviola?

This tree Graviola is indigenous to the Amazon and various regions of South America. It's not a big rainforest tree by any means, the fact is it' relatively small in Rainforest terms growing to only 5 or 6 metres tall. But the "Stomach Cancer" fighting properties it has are amazing; in fact it's an absolute monster.

Much of the research already completed has found that plenty of the annonaceous acetogenins or phytochemicals (chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants) found in the seeds, stem and leaves of Graviola tree are cytotoxic against various cancer cells and tumour cells. In herbal medicine, all these plant parts are used.

This is the really good news because, quote:- (Cytotoxic: Toxic to cells, cell-toxic, cell-killing. Any agent or process that kills cells. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are forms of cytotoxic therapy.) According to the HSI article the 'Graviola' tree has been studied in more than 20 laboratory tests since the 1970s, where it's been shown to: Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 different types of cancer, including colon, Bowel, prostate, lung, and Stomach Cancer. Be 10,000 times stronger in killing Stomach Cancercells than Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug. Selectively hunt down and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells, unlike chemotherapy.

A plant screening program back in 1976 by the National Cancer Institute also demonstrated that Graviola showed active cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Many researchers who have been following up on this research have also found that Graviola was a cancer killing turbine. The use of herbal products worldwide has been there almost since the time when man first walked on the earth, well for a few thousands of years at least. So, If you or your loved ones suffer from cancer, then I would recommend that you read the Graviola and Graviola Max article by the HSI in full here. It's mind blowing!

Other Herbal products that could also be used help assist the above are "Immune Support" to boost the immune system. Both have shown to be off great help!

Graviola Max and Graviola, could they help you in the fight against Stomach Cancer? The answer it appears is yes, it can!

Health Disclaimer! The information provided here must NOT be taken as professional or personal medical advice or instruction. You should 'always consult with a professional health practitioner' on important matters relating to your own health and well-being. The opinions given here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment and information available to the author at the time. Please Note. Any reader, who fails to consult with the appropriate medical and health authorities, "assumes ALL responsibility of any resulting injuries". The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. - 31973

About the Author:

For over a decade Grahaam A.E.Maartin has been involved in the field of herbal medicine and seen some remarkable results. More info on Graviola & Graviola Max can be found at Raintree Health Ltd or R T Goods

Can You beat Breast Cancer and using Traditional Herbal Remedies and Alternative Medicine?

By Grahaam A. E. Maartin

Breast Cancer! Graviola and Graviola Max are said to be very effective fighting this. Are they? Many people have, and still are using them. The results appear to say a big yes!

Many people are worried at the thought of developing Breast Cancer! Does the phrase "Breast Cancer" worry you? Powerful words are they not? Graviola and Graviola Max both seem to be very good herbal products, and they are available to youNow!

Usually, the large majority of doctors and medical practitioners although to be fair, not all, do not support the use of natural products like Graviola and Graviola Max in treating "Breast Cancer". Often calling them "fringe or quack" remedies, simply because the medical institutions don't teach the students about them.

Evidence is growing however, in support of the fact that many of these botanicals may be really quite beneficial. Two of these herbal remedies in particularly, 'Graviola' and 'Graviola Max are showing some quite remarkable results in "Breast Cancer" patients. Often in cases where chemotherapy and traditional treatment didn't work. Would you use it?

In 2001 The Health Sciences Institute (HSI) featured an article, headlined "Billion-dollar Drug Company nearly squashes astounding research on natural cancer killer". It says. "Cancer conquered with miracle tree from the Amazon found to be 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy". Can you believe that! 10.000 times stronger and yet some greedy pharmaceutical company tried to squash it because they couldn't patent a plant that just might stop Breast Cancer! Disgusting! That tree was Graviola! . So what exactly is Graviola?

This tree Graviola is indigenous to the Amazon and various regions of South America. It's not a big rainforest tree by any means, the fact is it' relatively small in Rainforest terms growing to only 5 or 6 metres tall. But the "Breast Cancer" fighting properties it has are amazing; in fact it's an absolute monster.

Lots of research has already been completed. It's been found that a lot of the phytochemicals or annonaceous acetogenins (the chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants) found in the stem, leaves, and seeds of the Graviola tree are cytotoxic against many cancer cells and tumours. These plant parts are all used in herbal medicine.

That is the very good because, quote:- (Cytotoxic: Toxic to cells, cell-toxic, cell-killing. Any agent or process that kills cells. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are forms of cytotoxic therapy.) The HSI article says the tree has been studied in over 20 laboratory tests since the 1970s, and it has shown to: Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 different types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung, colon, prostate and breast cancer. Be 10,000 times stronger in killing colon cancer cells than Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug. Selectively hunt down and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells, unlike chemotherapy.

A plant screening program back in 1976 by the National Cancer Institute also demonstrated that Graviola showed active cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Many researchers who have been following up on this research have also found that Graviola was a cancer killing turbine. The use of herbal products worldwide has been there almost since the time when man first walked on the earth, well for a few thousands of years at least. So, If you or your loved ones suffer from cancer, then I would recommend that you read the Graviola and Graviola Max article by the HSI in full here. It's mind blowing!

Other Herbal products that could also be used help assist the above are "Immune Support" to boost the immune system. Both have shown to be off great help!

Well can Graviola and Graviola Max help you in your fight against Breast Cancer? It seems that the answer is yes, absolutely!

Health Disclaimer! The information provided here must NOT be taken as professional or personal medical advice or instruction. You should 'always consult with a professional health practitioner' on important matters relating to your own health and well-being. The opinions given here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment and information available to the author at the time. Please Note. Any reader, who fails to consult with the appropriate medical and health authorities, "assumes ALL responsibility of any resulting injuries". The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. - 31973

About the Author:

Grahaam A.E.Maartin has seen some remarkable results. You can see more information on Graviola and Graviola Max from several sources. Two that I know of are R T Goods or Raintree Health Ltd

Bladder Cancer! Can Alternative Medicines Really Work Against Bladder Cancer?

By Grahaam A. E. Maartin

Bladder Cancer! Do herbal products like Graviola and Graviola Max actually work? That is the issue I am going to look at. But the initial results seem to say an emphatic yes!

Many people are worried at the thought of developing Bladder Cancer! Does the phrase "Bladder Cancer" worry you? Powerful words are they not? Graviola and Graviola Max both seem to be very good herbal products, and they are available to you...Now!

Usually, the large majority of doctors and medical practitioners although to be fair, not all, do not support the use of natural products like Graviola and Graviola Max in treating "Bladder Cancer". Often calling them "fringe or quack" remedies, simply because the medical institutions don't teach the students about them.

There is growing evidence to support the fact that many of these herbal remedies may really be quite beneficial to you. Two of these in particular 'Graviola' and Graviola Max are showing some quite remarkable results, often, in cases where traditional treatment and or chemotherapy don't work. What would you do if you had Bladder Cancer?

Way back in 2001 The HSI organisation (Health Sciences Institute) featured an article with the headline "Billion-dollar Drug Company nearly squashes astounding research on natural cancer killer". It goes on to say. "Cancer conquered with miracle tree from the Amazon found to be 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy". Can you believe that! 10.000 times stronger and yet some greedy pharmaceutical company tried to squash it because they couldn't patent a plant that could stop "Bladder Cancer". Shame on them! That tree was Graviola! ....OK, so what exactly is Graviola?

Graviola is a tree that is indigenous to the Amazon Rainforests and some other parts of South America. It's not really a huge rainforest tree, in fact it is a relatively small evergreen "shrub" (in Rainforest terms) growing to only 5 to 6 metres tall. But in terms of having cancer cell fighting properties, it's an absolute giant!

Much of the research already completed has found that plenty of the annonaceous acetogenins or phytochemicals (chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants) found in the seeds, stem and leaves of Graviola tree are cytotoxic against various cancer cells and tumour cells. In herbal medicine, all these plant parts are used.

That is the very good because, quote:- (Cytotoxic: Toxic to cells, cell-toxic, cell-killing. Any agent or process that kills cells. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are forms of cytotoxic therapy.) The HSI article says the tree has been studied in over 20 laboratory tests since the'70s, and it has shown to: * Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 different types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung, colon, prostate and Bladder Cancer. * Be 10,000 times stronger in killing Bladder Cancercells than Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug. * Selectively hunt down and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells, unlike chemotherapy.

Back in'76 a plant screening program by the National Cancer Institute also showed that Graviola displayed active cytotoxicity against cancer cells and various researchers have been following up on this research ever since and have found that Graviola was a cancer killing powerhouse. These Herbal products have been in use worldwide almost since the time when man first walked on the earth. If you or your loved ones suffer from this terrible ailment, then I would strongly recommend that you read the HSI article about Graviola Max and Graviola here. It really is staggering!

In addition to the above it has been shown that taking additional herbal products such as "Immune Support" to boost the immune system may be beneficial!

Graviola Max and Graviola, could they help you in the fight against Bladder Cancer? The answer it appears is yes, it can!

Health Disclaimer! The information provided here must NOT be taken as professional or personal medical advice or instruction. You should 'always consult with a professional health practitioner' on important matters relating to your own health and well-being. The opinions given here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment and information available to the author at the time. Please Note. Any reader, who fails to consult with the appropriate medical and health authorities, "assumes ALL responsibility of any resulting injuries". The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. - 31973

About the Author:

For over a decade Grahaam A.E.Maartin has been involved in the field of herbal medicine and seen some remarkable results. More info on Graviola & Graviola Max can be found atRaintree Health Ltd or R. T. Goods

Can Minimally Invasive Lung Cancer Surgery Improve Chemotherapy Outcomes?

By Brian Rodane

Minimally invasive lung cancer surgery can be used to remove cancerous tissue without the need to open the patient's chest. A traditional approach to performing a lobectomy required the surgeon to make a long incision into the chest. Then, the chest is opened and the ribs are either spread apart or removed in order to give the surgical team a better view of the affected lobe. The operation usually involves a significant level of postoperative pain as well as a longer recovery time.

Chemotherapy drugs are often administered to the patient after the procedure. This is done to help kill any diseased cells that may have spread to other sites. In most cases, these drugs must either be delayed or the dosage must be reduced until the patient has recovered.

In this article, we'll describe how a lobectomy can be performed without the high-impact trauma associated with conventional thoracotomy. We'll also explain the effect this has on chemotherapy outcomes.

What Is A Thoracoscopic Lobectomy?

A thoracoscopic lobectomy involves the surgeon making a few small incisions between the patient's ribs. A thoracoscope (a tubular instrument) with a small camera attached on the end is inserted through one of the incisions to provide a view of the diseased tissue. Then, additional surgical instruments are inserted through the other incisions to remove the affected lobe and biopsy the chest lymph nodes.

There is no need to open the chest or spread the patient's ribs (as is the case with conventional thoracotomy).

The Aftereffects Of Thoracoscopic Lobectomy

Because this minimally invasive procedure does not require opening the chest, there is less post-op pain, less likelihood of infection, and less impact to the immune system. There is also less chance of the patient developing complications (for example, bleeding) following the operation. As a result, the recovery time is usually shorter than would be the case with open chest surgery.

These factors contribute to the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs. Often, doctors must delay giving the drugs to those who have undergone traditional open surgery due to an impaired immune system. Other times, doctors can administer chemotherapy drugs, but in limited doses.

Because these drugs seek to eliminate cancerous cells that have metastasized, it is important that they are administered as quickly as possible. Delays or limited doses that result from the patient's prolonged recovery time will impact the drugs' effectiveness. This is one of the reasons many surgeons are recommending minimally invasive lung cancer surgery whenever the patient is deemed a good candidate.

In some cases, the minimally invasive techniques that are being used to perform lobectomies can also be used to perform a pneumonectomy (removal of the entire lung). If you have been diagnosed with early stage lung cancer, discuss these options with your doctor. He or she will determine whether you are a good candidate for thoracoscopic resection, lobectomy, or pneumonectomy. - 31973

About the Author:

Find the right doctor for lung cancer surgery or mitral valve disease. Early diagnosis can lead to successful results.