Sunday, December 11, 2011

Cheap Way To Screen for Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of women cancer deaths in developing countries where health care resources are lacking and not adequate, particularly in the poor rural regions.

A cheap screening method is helping to detect for early signs of cervical cancer. It requires a swab of vinegar (with 3 to 5 percent acetic acid) on the cervix and after three to five minutes if any area turns white, it is a sign of a pre-cancerous or cancerous lesion. A lesion is known to have more DNA, and thus consists more protein compared to other tissues. Acetic acid coagulates with the protein which results in a whitish appearance. Any detection of an abnormal lesion will be frozen and destroyed using cryotherapy, or cold therapy, which utilises a metal rod cooled by a tank of carbon dioxide.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

What to Do After Cancer

Many people suffering from cancer find that they are no longer able to conceive, despite all of the best efforts of fertility preservation. There is nothing guaranteed to succeed with fertility preservation during cancer treatments, but it is important to have the right attitude about getting pregnant and starting a family once you have cured your cancer. There are a number of solutions that you can consider, and you may find that starting a family is possible despite the damage the cancer and the subsequent treatments have done to your body.

How to Get Pregnant

If the cancer has damaged your body, it may be very difficult for you to get pregnant. Men suffering from cancer will often become sterile as a result of the treatments, and women may find that one or both of their ovaries are damaged beyond repair. If this is the case, here are some ways that you can get pregnant or start a family despite the cancer treatments:

1. IVF

In vitro fertilization is a method of artificial insemination in which the eggs of the woman are extracted and combined with the semen of the man. The combined eggs and sperm are then incubated to encourage fertilization, and they are then injected back into the woman's womb once the egg has been fertilized. If you suffered from cancer and the treatments have caused early menopause or caused you to stop ovulating, you may find that using this method of conception makes getting pregnant possible.

2. Artificial Insemination

Artificial insemination is a more natural method of conception, and it calls for the semen to be injected directly into the womb to make it as easy as possible for the sperm to fertilize the egg. This method is good for men who have low sperm count or motility as a result of their cancer treatment, or for women who have only a few eggs left.

3. Fertility Drugs

Fertility drugs help to boost the fertility level in the bodies of both men and women by increasing the levels of the hormones that control fertility. These drugs may have negative side effects, but they will be a good solution for those who are suffering from lower fertility than normal as a result of the cancer treatments.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Brief Explanation of Ovarian Cancer and It's Lab Test CA-125

Ovarian cancer disease is also known as the silent killer. That is because the disease is usually found when the patient is in the final stages of this cancer. Many women do not know the early warning signs of this cancer. Believe it or not, the American Cancer Society ranks this cancer as the fourth cause of cancer death in women.

What are the ovaries and what do they do?

The ovaries are the internal almond-shaped organs that are located internally on each side of the pelvis. The purpose of the ovaries is to produce eggs on a monthly basis. They are used for the fertilization process, which is pregnancy.

Where does the cancer start?

The tumor starts in one or both of the ovaries. Cancer cells from the original cancer place can spread to other parts of the body.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Survival Statistics of a Patient Diagnosed With Ovarian Cancer

In the United States, doctors are required to report all diagnosis made of cancer to a state registry. The federal government oversees registries of 45 states as well as the three territories and the District of Columbia, all though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Program of Cancer Registries.

As far as the remaining five statewide cancer registries are concerned, the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program started by the National Cancer Institute oversees and funds them.

The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program by NCI provides ovarian cancer statistics on frequent basis that are based on actual data and are age-adjusted. According to the American Cancer Society (2008), in 2011, approximately "21,990 new cases will be diagnosed, out of which 15, 460 will die in the United States."

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Discover Some Cervical Cancer Treatment Options

Like so many other organs in the body, the cervix can develop cancer. Unlike the others, it is the second-most prone to develop them, next to breast cancer. Cervical cancer doesn't develop quickly. In fact, it can develop very slowly that the individual doesn't even know it is there until they go for a screening or a physical exam. Since this is very prone to females, it is critical that we talk about different cervical cancer treatment options.

The most accepted way the medical industry treats cervical cancer is through hysterectomy. It is the surgical procedure to remove the uterus. If the cancer is already in the advanced stages, removal of the lymph nodes may prove to be a necessity. This type of treatment is most females worst nightmare as it removes their capability to give birth.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Cure Cervix Cancer With Some Recommended Natural Treatments

Finding a cure for cervix cancer means that you have to first learn the basics, if you don't even know what a cervix is, here is the short version. It is the narrow necklike passage forming the lower end of the uterus. It basically joins the uterus and the birth canal. Cervical cancer is a slow-developing malignant cancer.

Cervical cancer is primarily caused by HPV (human papillomavirus). This is mainly distributed around through sexual intercourse with multiple partners. The reason it is very slow-growing is that the virus can survive inside the individual for many years before the cancerous cells begin to develop, and fortunately for some, it never does. The main reason that the cancer cells never develop in some individuals, who have had the virus for many years, is because they are in very good health and their immunity system is very formidable.

Monday, November 7, 2011

An MRI Experience: The Frustration of Unnecessary, Confusing and Incomplete Instructions!

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body. I needed this test to determine the extent of my uterine cancer. My recent learning experience with having an MRI reinforced the importance of giving meaningful, clear and complete instructions.

1. Unnecessary Instructions

My appointment instructions explicitly told me to wear pants without any metal attachments. Okay, that was no problem. All I had to do was wear pants with an elastic waist instead of a zipper. Unfortunately, I overlooked the second requirement until I had my snow boots, winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves on. Apparently, I was also supposed to wear pants without pockets.

This created some stress on my part. Who owns pants without pockets? I certainly don't! Actually, what is the point of pants that have no pockets?

Once we got to the hospital, there was no problem. They handed me pajama bottoms to wear. I guess I was one in a long line of patients who were not pocketless pant owners!