If you are already under the care of a board certified or fellowship trained board eligible gynecologic oncologist then whether or not you should get a second opinion depends upon your level of trust and personal interaction with your oncologist. Gynecologic oncologists receive 3-4 years of training after ObGyn residency, gaining extra surgical skills which put them into an elite category of highly skilled cancer surgeons. Physicians in this category are specifically trained for treatment of gynecologic cancers, including surgery, chemotherapy and integration of radiation therapy into a comprehensive treatment plan.

On the other hand if you have not seen a gynecologic oncologist, the prudent thing to do is to seek one out and obtain a second opinion from them!! Even if the recommended treatment for a presumed early cancer sounds reasonable to you, it would behoove you to obtain a second opinion. It may mean the difference between cure and no cure.

Almost all universities and academic centers, including NCI designated cancer centers, have gynecologic oncologists on staff. The links section on this site has several options. The main site which lists most of the board certified or eligible gynecologic oncologists in the US is the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists: sgo.org/” target=”_blank www.sgo.org

Universities and academic centers are definitely NOT the only place to find qualified gyn oncologists. In fact, these centers have a mix of senior and junior faculty, some who have just recently completed their fellowship. While these junior faculty members are certainly well qualified to care for you and have support from the senior faculty, there are many gyn oncologists in private practice who have a wealth of experience and potentially a better skill set to take care of you. This is because some private practices have a high volume of patients, in some cases exceeding that found in academic referral centers. Therefore,some private practitioners have a greater experience base than academic practitioners. Finally, some private practices are involved in clinicial research, while many are not. If you seek an opinion which may involve research studies, first determine if the practitioner you are going to see is involved in such trials.

The final, and potentially most important, advice is that not all gyn oncologists are the same. Some have better surgical skills than others, some give chemotherapy while others refer to medical oncologists, practice philosophies differ, and as in any area….personalities differ. It is unfortunately impossible to determine who is best suited for your special needs, but a bit of “research” regarding your potential doctor is wise. A certain amount of information can be gleaned from the the Society of Gynecologic Oncologist’s site and the National Practitioner’s Data Bank npdb-hipdb.com/queryrpt.html” target=”_blank NPDB, but personality and philosophy differences are more difficult to assess. Unfortunately, there is no overall performance card available like that used in baseball. Some information of this subjective kind is available in patient forums and chats.

Steven A. Vasilev MD,MBA,FACOG,FACS is a fellowship trained and board certified gynecologic oncologist, which means he is specially trained and certified to take care of women with gynecologic cancers using a broad spectrum of skills. He has practiced at academic as well as private centers, has been on the faculty of three universities and continues to be involved in research and education. You can visit gyncancerdoctor.com gyncancerdoctor.com to learn more about screening, prevention and treatment of gynecologic cancers.

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Tags: chemotherapy, gynecologic cancer

Mesothelioma is avery rare type of cancer that develop in the outer membrane of some internal organs of the human body, it may develop in the outer membrane of the lungs which known as the pleura, may develop in the outer membrane of the internal organs in the abdominal cavity and may develop in the outer membrane of the heart which known as the pericardium.

Pleural mesothelioma or the cancer of lung lining is the most common type of mesothelioma cancer and often be assocated with the asbestos exposure. Asbestos are several minerals that was used in the manufacturing companies, workers which was in the asbestos environment are the most people who can develop mesothelioma due to the direct contact with the asbestos particles, by inhalation asbestos fibers can enter the chest cavity and settle in the plera (the lung lining) and cause chronic inflammation which may cause malignant tumors after several years.

Pericardial mesothelioma is less common than pleural mesothelioma and related to asbestos exposure, in this type the asbestos particles settle in the pericardium (the heart lining). Scientests don’t know hwo asbestos can get in pericardium, there is an imagine way in which asbestos particles are transfered from the pleura to blood steam then to the heart, the heart bumbs them to the pericardium and the disease start to grow there.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is another type of mesothelioma and affects the peritonium. Peritonium is the outer membrane of internal organs in the abdominal cavity. Peritoneal mesothelioma is often related to asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma symptoms may be shortness of breath, cough, chest pain and general weakness. Mesothelioma diagnosis is very difficult, as its symptoms are very similar to other kinds of diseases take very lomg time to appeare 25-50 years. The options of treatments are confined to surgery, chemotherapy ( special chemicals to kill the cancerous cells) and radiotherapy ( using some kind of radiations to get rid of the cancerous cells).

By El Husseiny Shahin a mesothelioma activist and the owner of

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Tags: chemotherapy, mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma

Breast cancer has become a major health issue for women in North America. The rate of breast cancer has increased by 1 per cent a year since 1940.

In our country, a woman dies of breast cancer every 12 minutes! It has become the most common cancer-related cause of death in women. World-wide about 1,670,000 women have breast cancer. Our risk of surviving malignant breast cancer is just about the same as it was 50 years ago, when the only treatment was mastectomy; about one in three. The incidence of breast cancer is steadily rising and the numbers are appalling. Between 1973-1998 the incidence of breast cancer rose by over 40%.

October is a month where women of all ages and stages of life will join together and wear pink ribbons to remind us of the seriousness of Breast Cancer and to remember those, whose lives it has touched. We become advocates for more grass roots education like self-breast exams as well as for more research to be done and a cure for breast cancer be found.

However, if I had my wish every pink ribbon would carry an additional message for women. That message would be that “YOU can improve your breast health and reduce the risk of breast cancer right now!”

We need to ask ourselves “What am I doing to truly become aware about breast cancer and preventing it within my own body?” Wearing a pink ribbon is simply not enough.

We are now learning that Breast cancer is likely a result of hormonal imbalances. Specifically they are a result of excess estrogen or Estrogen Dominance. Estrogen dominance describes a condition where a woman can have deficient, normal, or excessive estrogen but has little or no progesterone to balance its effects in the body. Even a woman with low estrogen levels can have estrogen-dominance symptoms if she doesn’t have any progesterone

The Johns Hopkins University conducted a 20 year study, published in 1983 in the American Journal of Epidemiology, showing that women who had good progesterone levels had less than a fifth of the amount of breast cancer. The outcomes suggested that having a normal level of progesterone in balance with normal levels of estrogens protected women from nine-tenths of all cancers that might otherwise have occurred….. in other words hormones in balance.

The Million Women Study of whom about half used or had used HRT(synthetic hormones consisting of estrogen with a synthetic progestin), indicated for the first time that the increased Breast Cancer risk started between one and two years of HRT use, dashing any suggestion that increased cancer risk only developed after long-term use. But the risks grew larger the longer the HRT treatment continued.

What many women do not realize is that we don’t just “GET” hormones as we approach menopause. Women suffer from hormone challenges in their teen years while women in their 70’s and 80’s can still be suffering hormonal challenges. Hormonal imbalance does not only produce cancer in women but can manifest itself with symptoms such as: PMS, Mood swings, PCOS, Endometriosis, weight gain, menstrual headaches, heavy bleeding or irregular cycles and infertility.

We may not be able to our genetic risk factors for Breast Cancer- that is true. However, a growing body of research is showing us that women really can make a difference in their breast health through becoming better informed about how our body makes hormones, understanding about hormonal imbalance and then learning some natural alternatives to deal with out of balance hormones.

Evaluating hormone levels using saliva testing is one way to know if our health challenges are connected to hormone issues. A saliva test kit is inexpensive and can be used in the privacy of our own homes. What a small price to pay to have the peace of mind knowing if your hormone levels are in balance! Taking the test results to our health care practitioner and asking them to work with us toward hormone balance would be a natural “next step.”

I feel that women need to have all the information presented to them on the hormone issue so that they can make a well informed choice as to which path they would like to travel down in order to bring balance to their hormones. It is my goal that in October 2006 women across this country will wear pink ribbons knowing that there are things that they can do to improve their health and reduce their risk for breast cancer. Knowledge is power!!

This Article Is Copywright 2006 Jackie L. Harvey & Saliva Testing com

Jackie Harvey is an International speaker, radio program host, seminar leader, business trainer, and a mother of seven. She works in partnership with nurses, medical doctors and health care practitioners.

Jackie is a men & women’s health advocate specializing in hormonal and menopausal health. Thousands of men & women have watched her informative DVD “Let’s Talk About Hormones”. Jackie is committed to making a positive change in peoples lives.

Visit SalivaTesting.com SalivaTesting.com for more information Saliva Hormone Tests Kits & her Best Selling 1-hour DVD “Let’s Talk About Hormones with Jackie Harvey”. Click For More information on SalivaTesting.com Men’s & Women’s Saliva Hormone Testing and Saliva Test Kits.

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer risk, mastectomy

About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only one man in 34 will die of the disease. The prostate gland is located directly beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. The main job of the prostate gland is to make seminal fluid, the milky substance that transports sperm.

The male hormone testosterone contributes to the growth of cancer. Prostate cancer is characterized by ‘grade’ and ’stage’; grade is given to indicate how quickly a cancer is growing — the higher the grade, the more likely it is that the cancer will grow and spread rapidly and the size and extent of the tumor will determine its stage. Detected in its early stages, it cancer can be effectively treated and cured.

There are several symptoms to be aware of. If you have one or more prostate cancer symptoms, you should see a qualified doctor as soon as possible. Blood in the urine or semen and frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs are often symptoms of cancer.

Other symptoms might include unintentional weight loss and lethargy. Another symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine. One symptom is a need to urinate frequently, especially at night.

There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not always mean a patient has prostate cancer. What is called a free PSA may help tell the difference between BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy), an enlargement of the prostate gland, and prostate cancer. A PSA test with a high level can also be from a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual cells. One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage cancers that may never have caused the patient any harm. The decision about whether to pursue a PSA test should be based on a discussion between you and your doctor.

Surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy all have significant side effects; know fully what they are before you proceed. Since prostate tumors require testosterone to grow, reducing the testosterone level is used to prevent further growth and spread of the cancer. Be aware that some men choose natural treatment options and forgo any surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.

Whether undergoing radiation is as good as prostate removal is debatable and the decision about which to choose, if any, can be difficult. Chemotherapy medications are often used to treat hormonal cancers that are resistant to hormonal treatments. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options.

Other medications used for hormonal therapy, with side effects, include androgen-blocking agents, which prevent testosterone from attaching to prostate cells. The approaches to treatment include: ever watchful waiting to see whether the cancer is growing slowly and not causing any symptoms. Radiation therapy is used primarily to treat prostate cancers classified as stages A, B, or C.

In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative. Anyone considering surgery should be aware of the benefits, risks and the extent of the procedure. Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has spread.

If chemotherapy is decided upon after the first round of chemotherapy, most men receive further doses on an outpatient basis at a clinic or physician’s office. Some drugs with numerous side effects are being used to treat advanced prostate cancer, blocking the production of testosterone, called chemical castration; it has the same result as surgical removal of the testes.

If you’ve already been diagnosed with prostate cancer, pick the option that’s best suited to you and your continuing good health. Just about all men with prostate cancer survive at least five years after their diagnosis, 93% survive at least 10 years, and 67% survive more than 15 years. In the end, only you with the help of your doctors, knowing your individual situation, can determine the best treatment program for you.

For more information on BestProstateHealthTips.com prostate cancer treatments and prostate cancer symptoms go to BestProstateHealthTips.com BestProstateHealthTips.com Helen Hecker R.N.’s website specializing in prostate and prostate cancer tips, advice and resources, including information on prostate tests and BestProstateHealthTips.com natural prostate cancer treatments

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Tags: cancer treatment, chemotherapy, prostate cancer