Posted: 28 Oct 2009 12:28 PM PDT

Did you know breast or ovarian cancer can be inherited? In fact, there are 500,000 women in the U.S who carry a gene mutation that puts them at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC).

"All cancer involves changes in genes called mutations. However, in most people, these changes occur after birth, usually later in life and only in a limited number of the body's cells. Hereditary cancer refers to cancer that is caused by a mutation that is present at birth and in all cells of the body. This gene change makes individuals more likely to develop cancer in their lifetime but doesn't mean they will definitely develop the disease. Certain cancers, including those of the breast, ovary, and colon, are more likely than others to be hereditary."

Some hereditary mutations or gene changes linked to breast cancer have already been identified. The two most common are BRCA1 and BRCA2 (for breast cancer 1 and breast cancer 2). Blood tests are now available to determine if someone carries one or both of these two gene changes.

If you have a mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer, get tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. While there may not much you can do on your genetic history, there are a few things you can change to your lifestyle.

* Eat raw walnuts. Walnuts contain compounds that reduce the risk of breast cancer. Molecular analysis showed that increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids contributed to the decline in tumor incidence, but other parts of the walnut contributed as well.

* Keep your weight in check. A study of cancer among overweight people in Europe showed the proportion of new cases of the disease caused by people being fat was highest in women. The most common cancers linked to excess body weight were endometrial, breast and colorectal cancers. Getting in daily exercise can also protect and reduce your risk for cancer.

* Diet tied to survival in breast cancer patients. A study published in the December 2008 Journal of Clinical Oncology found women with the highest intakes of healthier foods were about half as likely to die during the study period as women with the lowest intakes, even with other important factors taken into account -- like the initial size of the breast tumor, the treatment type and patients' smoking habits.

* Herbs and spices fight off cancer compounds. Several herbs and spices have been compared to effective cancer-fighting drugs. Be sure to add these six herbs to your diet: tumeric, ginger, cinnamon, labiates which include mint, thyme, marjoram, oregano and basil, apiums include parsley and celery root, and alliums include garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, and chives.

* Breastfeeding cuts breast cancer in high risk women by fifty nine percent. The new study, published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, used information from 60,075 participants in the second Harvard Nurses' Health Study. If your mother has breast cancer, you may want to consider the benefits of breastfeeding. Certain types of breast cancer may be rarer among women who breastfeed their babies for at least six months.

If you have a family history of breast cancer, doing these few simple steps towards a healthier lifestyle can help decrease your chances later in life.

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Best Treatment For Breast Cancer - Winning the War Against Cancer

Posted: 28 Oct 2009 12:01 PM PDT

When somebody gets the news that he or she has cancer, then it almost seems like a death sentence. We all know that the survival rate of cancer is very low, especially when cancer is discovered late. People are afraid to go to the doctor and get themselves checked, because the doctor may find something. But breast cancer and other types of cancers should not be looked as a death sentence, because so many people have beaten breast cancer, they know what is the best treatment for breast cancer.

We would all like to believe, that our doctors know all the answers and look out for our best interests, but this is not the case most of the time. Doctors have learned to treat cancer only with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation, but we all know there are a lot of alternative ways to treat cancer, that have been proven to work.

The best solution would be to find an open-minded doctor, who wants you to get well and is willing to get out of the box. It is impossible for a doctor to learn and know everything about microbiology, nutrition, neurology, endocrinology, immunology, alternative medicine. You only know, what you have learned and what you have been thought.

The average doctor has learned to cure symptoms of cancer, with synthetic drugs from drug companies. So that is what they do and if you take into account that doctors and very busy and really have very little time to spend with the patient, then the end result often is very bad.

The patient itself also has to do a lot of research and not expect the doctor to know everything. If you have cancer and your life is in stake, then your goal should be to look for various different cancer treatments and find out what kind of treatments people have used to beat cancer. The more options you have available, the best treatment for breast cancer you can have.

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Is Inflammatory Breast Cancer Linked to the Indoor Air Quality of Your Home and Work Place?

Posted: 28 Oct 2009 08:32 AM PDT

Inflammatory Breast Cancer accounts for only 6% of all breast cancer cases reported in the US. Alarmingly, it also accounts for 25% of inflammatory breast cancer related deaths, with statistics confirming most women diagnosed with the disease will fall terminally ill within 5 years. (Source: Mayo Clinic)

What causes inflammatory breast cancer is the unknown question scientists researching the disease, are seeking an answer for. All researchers now know is, "Inflammation of the breast tissue is caused by clogging of the lymph vessels under the skin".

What causes that blocking is still a mystery.

This raises the question to the medical community and scientific researchers at large:

"If chemicals like polybrominated diphenyl ethers, found in blue jeans and no stick frying pans (PFC's), and other dominant chemicals in the home such as parabens, used to prevent the growth of bacteria in cosmetics, deodorants, shampoos, and other household items, are proven to cause inflammation in humans, could these chemical toxins be present in those women diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer, and could these toxins, in low doses, be built up over time with repeated exposure, leading to a blockage of the lymph vessels?"

(Parabens are linked to cancer and reproductive health problems. Researchers found 19 of 20 women whose blood was examined in lab studies revealed trace amounts of parabens. Source: Environmental Working Group)

Dateline NBC recently aired a two part report asking a similar question, "Do those living a green lifestyle have less chemical toxins in their blood stream than those who are not so green?".

Dateline found two families willing to take part in extensive blood analysis testing. (Blood analysis tests were conducted at Axys Analytical Labs in Canada)

The first family, the "Browns", live a "normal" lifestyle, while the second family, aptly named the "Greens", are avid environmentalist, even living in a green home they designed and built themselves.

Their test results alarmingly proved a significant increase in toxic chemical build up in the Brown family over the Green family. Revealing chemicals such as:

Phthalates:
Found in plastics and linked to asthma, and an alteration in hormone levels of breast feeding males.

Triclosan:
Found in pesticides. Toxic to wildlife and disruptive to reproductive hormones. It also forms carcinogens when combined with chlorinated tap water. Carcinogens are cancer forming.

Bisphenol A/ BPA:
Found in baby bottles, water coolers and metal food containers. Recent studies have shown this chemical to cause early puberty, breast cancer and diabetes. It is also considered by scientists to be on of the top medical concerns for public safety.

More testing is certainly required before researchers can confirm a link between indoor air quality and the onset of inflammatory breast cancer, but the early testing of chemical exposures inside the home do show a cause for concern, and for consumers to take precautionary measures with the products they bring into their homes, or work environment.

Researchers advise: "Check your home for toxic chemicals. Read the labels of the products you want to bring into your home, and ask yourself if that particular product could be harmful to you or your children. If the answer is "maybe", leave it on the store shelf and find an alternative".

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Breast Cancer

Thursday, October 29, 2009

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2009 - The Mother-Daughter Link in Breast Cancer” plus 2 more

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2009 - The Mother-Daughter Link in Breast Cancer” plus 2 more

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