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Beat It….Cancer

September 4th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Cancer is not for the faint at heart….I beat it once and I’m in the throes of doing it for the second time and I’m confident that I will beat it again. Fifteen years ago I was diagnosed with …it was so advanced that my oncolgist could only experiment….it worked! He was a doctor of great expertise and taught all over the country and ,of course, I had great confidence in him. You must have confidence in your medical professionals and and get the very best….your life is worth it.

A good support system is also critical….my friends would come to my home (mostly men friends that were “buddies”)….they’d clean my house, run to the store and make me laugh when I really needed it. My daughter was an angel from Heaven through it all….cooking for me, caring for my cats….anything to make my life easier.

Attitude….that’s the real key to beating any disease and my mother taught me that aspect…She was quite elderly and lived 1,500 miles away but called everyday and told me I must fight to get well…it pays to listen to your mother!. I looked upon my life threatening illness as the flu and put in my head that I’d recover soon..I was diagnosed Jan 28th and was back to work by May 1st…..and back to work as a bartender which is quite physical.

This time it’s metastatic ….it has invaded my lymphnodes and left breast. I started treatment of chemo Sept. 1st….the first four chemo’s were real killers but the maintenance chemo that I get weekly are a piece of cake….by the end of this month I will have surgery and then radiation….then I plan to be brand new.

And what I think is of greatest importance in waging your war against cancer is the power of prayer….it’s power alludes me….but prayer does work. As they say “If you can dream it….you can do it” and power of prayer will help you accomplish it.

Good luck to all you “warriors” fighting to beat cancer….you can do it!

I’m 65 yr. old woman (feel like I’m 15 yrs. old most days) I’m a cancer survivor of 15 yrs. and fighting the cancer war once again…and winning….I live in S. Florida as I love the sunshine…if you’d like to contact me you can do so at mailto:donnaparra595@bellsouth.net donnaparra595@bellsouth.net

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Could A Common Hair Loss Drug Be Masking The Presence Of Prostate Cancer?

September 4th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

The problems of both an enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and typically begin to appear in men in their forties and fifties, with instances increasing with age, and one common method of detecting the presence of a prostate problem is the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.

The prostate gland produces a specific protein, the presence of which can be detected in the blood through the PSA test, and with a normal and healthy prostate the level of this protein found in the blood is quite low. However, both an enlarged prostate gland and result in raised levels of PSA alerting doctors to the presence of a developing problem and signaling the need for further investigation and possibly treatment.

In the case of an enlarged prostate gland one commonly used treatment is that of the administration of the drug finasteride which targets an enzyme within the prostate gland which, together with testosterone, is key to the growth of the gland.

Although prostate problems are common in men in their forties, fifties and beyond they are not the only problems that men of this age suffer and another very common problem is that of hair loss. Many years ago men simply accepted this as part of the ageing process but today a rapidly growing number of men are choosing to attack the problem of hair loss, either through the use of various hair restorers or tonics, drug therapy or surgery.

One frequently used hair loss drug is Propecia, which it is currently estimated is being used by well over one million American men, and unfortunately the use of this hair loss treatment may well be masking the fact that some of these men may also be developing either an enlarged prostate or . The problem here lies simply in the fact that Propecia contains finasteride.

In a recent study a group of men between the ages of forty and sixty who were suffering from male pattern baldness were given either Propecia or a placebo and their PSA levels were then monitored. The study found that PSA levels dropped by as much as 40 percent for men in their forties and 50 percent for men in their fifties when they were given Propecia, while levels in those men receiving the placebo rose by an average of 13 percent.

With killing many thousands of men every year and representing the second most common form of cancer in the Unites States today (second only to ), the importance of regular prostate screening for men in their forties and fifties in undoubted. However, if you are taking any form of medication including simple over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements or indeed anything else, then you must tell your doctor.

It might seem insignificant and irrelevant to tell your doctor that you are taking Propecia to stave off baldness but, without this knowledge, your doctor could well give you the all clear for when in fact the signs are there but are simply being masked by your hair loss treatment.

ProstateCancerExplained.com provides information on a variety of different prostate gland problems including an prostatecancerexplained.com/enlarged-prostate.html” target=”_blank enlarged prostate gland, prostate symptoms, prostate surgery and finding a prostatecancerexplained.com” target=”_blank cure.

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Breast Cancer Risk Factors

September 4th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

Anything that may increase the chance of developing a disease is considered a risk factor. As research has indicated women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop .

The exact causes for are not known. Often doctors cannot explain why one woman may develop but another does not. What is known is that bruising, bumping or touching the breast does not cause cancer. Breast cancer is not contagious. It is not “caught” from others.

There have been studies that have revealed some of the risk factors for . Among those risk factors are a woman’s age, a family or personal history of , changes in her breast, changes in her genes and her menstrual history. Other risk factors for include a woman’s race, if she has had radiation therapy to the chest, and her breast density. Still other factors for include taking diethylstilbestrol (DES), her being overweight or obese after menopause, not being physically active, and her alcohol consumption.

Breast cancer is not common in women before menopause. As women age their chances for development can increase. Breast cancer occurrence is greater for women over age 60.

The chance of a woman developing is greater if her mother, sister or daughter has a history of the disease. If a family member developed before the age of 40, the risk is even greater for a woman developing . Other relatives having , either on her maternal or paternal side of the family, can also place a woman at greater risk for developing .

Having a personal history of can also increase a woman’s risk. If a woman has had in one breast the risk of getting in the other breast increase.

Changes in a woman’s breast can place a woman at risk for . Cells in a woman’s breast may look abnormal under a microscope. Abnormal cells such as atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ (or LCIS) increase a woman’s risk for .

Changes in a woman’s genes including BRCA1, BRCA2, and others may increase the risk for . Tests from family members who have been known to have can reveal the presence of specific gene changes in family members. In order to improve the detection of this disease in women who have these changes in their genes health care providers may be able to suggest ways to try to reduce the risk of .

A woman’s menstrual and reproductive history can place a woman at risk for . Women having their first menstrual period before age 12 have a greater risk for developing . The risk of increase the older a woman is when she had her first child. A woman going through menopause after age 55 places her at greater risk for . If a woman has never had children she is at a greater risk of . Taking menopausal hormone therapy with estrogen plus progestin after menopause appears to increase risks for . Studies have shown no link between miscarriage or abortion and risks for .

Race is another risk factor for . Caucasian women more often than Latina, African or Asian American women are diagnosed with .

Radiation therapy performed to the chest, including the breast, before a woman is age 30 is another known risk factor for . Studies indicate the younger the age of a woman when she received radiation treatment the higher the risk for in later life.

A woman’s breast tissue is either fatty or dense. Placing them at a higher risk of are older women whose mammograms, or breast x-rays, reveal more dense tissue.

Diethylstilbestrol, also known as DES, was given to some pregnant women in the United States during the 1940’s until 1971. This is no longer given to pregnant women. Taking DES during pregnancy may slightly increase the risk for . The possible effects on the daughters of women who were given DES while pregnant are still being studied.

A woman being overweight or obese after menopause can increase a woman’s risk for developing . Studies have indicated that after menopause the risk increases for women who are overweight.

A physically inactive lifestyle may contribute to risks for . If a woman is active it can prevent weight gain and obesity and therefore reduce chances for .

Drinking alcohol increases risks for . Studies indicate the more alcohol a woman drinks her risk for increase.

Researchers are currently studying other possible risk factors for . Currently being studied are the effect of diet, genetics, physical activity, and certain environmental substances increasing the risks for .

Avoiding known risk factors for can help women protect themselves against . Risk factors for such as family history cannot be avoided. These should be discussed with her doctor.

Most women who have known risk factors do not get . Many women with do not have a family history of the disease. Most women with have no clear sign for risk factors other than growing older.

If a woman thinks she is at risk for she should discuss her concern with her doctor. Her doctor may be able to suggest ways she can reduce her risk. At risk or not, a woman should plan scheduled checkups with her health care provider. Prevention is the best cure.

For additional information about other cancer topics, please go to

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Breast Cancer Awareness: An Alternate Perspective From A Cancer Survivor

September 4th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized

I would like to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month a little differently than most others. I have a different perspective. You see, I had nine years ago. I rejected conventional medicine and went with an alternative approach.

I’m quite cynical about Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Throughout October I see stories about brave cancer survivors who survived their toxic treatments and went on to run marathons. I see stories about new, expensive cancer breakthroughs on broadcasts lucratively sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. These are the same multinational corporations that manufacture plastics, pesticides and fragrance chemicals that actually cause cancer!

Whether you count by dollars or numbers of people employed by it, Cancer is one of the largest industries in the country. How is it that the companies that cause cancer also manufacture the cancer drugs? When it comes to Big Pharma, news stories aren’t so much news as propaganda. Watch carefully this month: How many stories will show women being healed by natural, non-patented medicine? None.

Why is it that the research we’re asked to fund looks for new treatments (as long as they can be patented), but never at the carcinogenic effects of plastics, pesticides and fragrance chemicals? Because it would rock the industrial boat that funds the research. Their definition of “prevention” is earlier detection. My definition of “prevention” is not getting it in the first place!

So why did I choose to risk my life with alternative medicine?

Two women whom I loved very much died of not long before I got it. More accurately, they died of their cancer treatments. One was like a mother to me, the other, like a sister. They were both seemingly healthy when the cancer was discovered. Indeed one had no tumor site at all. At her annual physical, the doctor found some cancer cells trapped in a lymph node. That’s what lymph nodes are supposed to do. Her immune system was working well.

They gave her every test they could to find the location of the cancer, to no avail. Then they proceeded to bombard the poor woman with “as much chemo as we can give you without actually killing you.” After that, they gave her radiation therapy.

Once she had no immune system left, the cancer that her body had been keeping at bay took over with a vengeance. It spread to her hip bone. More radiation. Oops! Too strong. The radiation killed her hip bone so she needed a hip replacement. More chemo. No more visits from her beloved grandchildren because she had no immunity to germs.

The bone cancer spread to her arm. She had a painful surgery for that. Then to her skull- exactly where her mobile phone antenna had touched her head. The last three years of life for this once-vital, beautiful woman were spent in pain, wretched illness and isolation. She never complained once. She just accepted it as her fate. I held her hand as she died.

My other friend was only in her late 30’s when they found the lump. She was a healthy vegetarian who practiced yoga, meditation, and alternative medicine. One day when she was getting a chiropractic adjustment, the doctor said her thyroid felt a little strange and suggested she get it checked.

She did, and it was fine. But the new doctor felt a breast lump and prescribed a mammogram and biopsy. Yep, take a little sealed-up tumor, crush it, radiate it and poke it repeatedly with a needle. Then act surprised when it suddenly metastasizes like crazy. The doctor actually told my friend that she had likely had the tumor for at least ten years.

My friend wanted to do alternative cancer therapies. Her oncologist said she should only do them as an adjunct to conventional treatment. Within a year she had lost her breast and was almost killed by chemo and radiation. The natural medicines, which are much more gentle, had no hope of working on a body that was so ravaged and sickened. Within another year she had lost the other breast, had more rounds of chemo, and died shortly after that.

The next year I found my lump, and within six weeks I had six lumps. I consulted with an M.D. and several alternative doctors. I read a bunch of books they recommended. I prayed and fretted, then decided that, live or die, I was going with non-toxic alternative medicine.

I called my late friend’s husband and told him the news. He said, “Whatever you do, don’t let the doctors get their hands on you. My wife told me before she died that she was sorry she ever listened to them. I believe that if she had gone a natural route she would be alive today.”

So here is my advice for Breast Cancer Awareness:

Question Authority- Don’t automatically believe the doctors, or anyone else. That includes this article.

Take Responsibility for Your Life- People who will spend weeks researching the pros and cons of a new car, carefully studying the fine print on a contract, will never study their medical options! Your doctor doesn’t have to live or die with the consequences of your treatment, you do!

Learn About Your Options- They’re out there, but your medical doctor has not studied them. Even if she has, she is forbidden to suggest them! Educate yourself before you’re ever in a health crisis.

Be a Difficult Patient- Demand

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