Facts About Lung Cancer

Facts About Lung Cancer

How common is lung cancer in women?

Lung cancer is the largest single cause of cancer deaths in the United States. For years, men were at higher risk for lung cancer because of higher smoking rates. However, with more women smoking, lung cancer surpassed breast cancer in 1987 as the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Over the last two decades, lung cancer deaths have increased 150 percent in women, compared to an increase of about 20 percent in men. In fact, with all outside factors being equal, women have a greater risk of developing lung cancer than men. Several studies have suggested that estrogen may help lung cancers to grow, increasing the risk of lung cancer developing in women.

What causes lung cancer?

Smoking is by far the leading risk factor for lung cancer. Tobacco smoke causes more than eight out of 10 cases of lung cancer. The longer a person has been smoking and the more packs per day smoked, the greater the risk. If a person stops smoking before lung cancer develops, the lung tissue will slowly return to normal. Cigar and pipe smoking are almost as likely to cause lung cancer as is cigarette smoking.

People who do not smoke but who breathe the smoke of others (second-hand smoke) also have a higher risk of lung cancer. Second-hand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in America, yet nearly half of all non-smoking Americans are still regularly exposed to it. Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke at home or work, increase their risk of developing lung cancer by 20 percent to 30 percent.

Asbestos is another risk factor. People who work with asbestos have a higher risk of getting lung cancer. If they also smoke, the risk is greatly increased. Arsenic and radon, as well as other cancer-causing agents in the workplace, are also risk factors. Other factors that increase a person’s risk include having had radiation therapy to the lung; personal and family history; diet; and air pollution.

What is the current treatment for lung cancer?

The best way to avoid death from lung cancer is never to smoke or to stop smoking. Once lung cancer is diagnosed, there are several treatment options, including radiation, various chemotherapies and surgery. Survival rates have improved for non-small cell lung cancer because of advances in combination radiation/chemotherapy treatment. However, small cell lung cancer (most often found in people who smoke cigarettes) is still very difficult to treat. Small cell is the most aggressive of lung cancers, and many patients have advanced disease by the time it is diagnosed. Small cell lung cancer is responsive to both chemotherapy and radiation, yet nearly all these patients eventually relapse and need additional treatment.

There is a clear need for more effective treatments for lung cancer. New advances in research have recently led to new drugs that can protect normal cells from being destroyed from chemotherapy.

Early detection remains the key to successful therapy. If you have a history of chronic coughing, coughing up blood, chest pain, shortness of breath, hoarseness or wheezing, on-going problems with bronchitis or pneumonia, swelling of the neck and face, loss of appetite or weight loss, or fatigue, you should be evaluated by your physician as soon as possible. Lung cancer is not the only smoking-related cause of death in women. The World Health Organization states that at least 25 percent of women smokers will die of smoking-related disease such as cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

How can I prevent lung cancer?

The best way to prevent lung cancer is to avoid smoking. If you currently smoke, ask your health care provider to assist you in finding resources to help you quit smoking. It is also important to try to avoid second-hand tobacco smoke, radon, asbestos and pollution, which can increase a person's risk of developing lung cancer. Controlling other lung diseases, such as tuberculosis can help prevent lung cancer, since there is evidence that lung cancer tends to develop in scarred areas of the lung. Finally, eating a good diet with lots of fruits and vegetables also may help prevent lung cancer.

videos on birth control

Chlamydia

Chlamydia

What is chlamydia?

Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) is a bacterium that causes an infection that is very similar to gonorrhea in the way that it is spread and the symptoms it produces. It is common and affects approximately 4 million women annually. Like gonorrhea, the chlamydia bacterium is found in the cervix and urethra and can live in the throat or rectum. Both infected men and infected women frequently lack symptoms of chlamydia infection. Thus, these individuals can unknowingly spread the infection to others. Another strain (type) of Chlamydia trachomatis, which can be distinguished in specialized laboratories, causes the STD known as lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV; see below).

Symptoms of chlamydia

The majority of women with chlamydia do not have symptoms. Cervicitis (infection of the uterine cervix) is the most common manifestation of the infection. While about half of women with chlamydial cervicitis have no symptoms, others may experience vaginal discharge or abdominal pain. Infection of the urethra is often associated with chlamydial infection of the cervix. Women with infection of the urethra (urethritis) have the typical symptoms of a urinary tract infection, including pain upon urination and the frequent and urgent need to urinate.

Chlamydia is very destructive to the Fallopian tubes. It can also cause severe pelvic infection. If untreated, about 30% of women with chlamydia will develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID; see above). Because it is common for infected women to have no symptoms, chlamydial infection is often untreated and results in extensive destruction of the Fallopian tubes, fertility problems and tubal pregnancy.

Chlamydial infection, like gonorrhea, is associated with an increased incidence of premature births. In addition, the infant can acquire the infection during passage through the infected birth canal, leading to serious eye damage or pneumonia. For this reason, all newborns are treated with eye drops containing an antibiotic that kills chlamydia. Treatment of all newborns is routine because of the large number of infected women without symptoms and the dire consequences of chlamydial eye infection to the newborn.

Diagnosis of chlamydia

Chlamydia can be detected on material collected by swabbing the cervix during a traditional examination using a speculum, but noninvasive screening tests done on urine or on self-collected vaginal swabs are less expensive and sometimes more acceptable to patients. While culturing of the organism can confirm the diagnosis, this method is limited to research laboratories and forensic investigations. For routine diagnostic use, newer and inexpensive diagnostic tests that depend upon identification and amplification of the genetic material of the organism have replaced the older, time-consuming culture methods.

Treatment of chlamydia

Treatment of chlamydia involves antibiotics. A convenient single-dose therapy for chlamydia is 1 gm of azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) by mouth. Alternative treatments are often used, however, because of the high cost of this medication. The most common alternative treatment is a 100 mg oral dose of doxycycline (Vibramycin, Oracea, Adoxa, Atridox and others) twice per day for seven days. Unlike gonorrhea, there has been little, if any, resistance of chlamydia to currently used antibiotics. There are many other antibiotics that also have been effective against chlamydia. As with gonorrhea, a condom or other protective barrier prevents the spread of the infection.

VIDEOS ON CONTRACEPTIVES

Procedures of different contraceptives which health professionals do

Facts About Colorectal Cancer

Facts About Colorectal Cancer

What is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer is cancer of the colon or rectum. Most types of colorectal cancer begin with polyps (grape-shaped growths on the lining of the colon and rectum). Removing a polyp early may prevent it from becoming cancer. Polyps are very common in people older than 50 years of age and usually are benign (not cancerous), but some polyps can slowly develop over the years into cancer.

What are the symptoms of colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer begins in the digestive system and symptoms may differ depending on where the cancer starts. In its early stages, colorectal cancer often has no symptoms, which is why screening tests are important. People who have symptoms may have a change in bowel habits, diarrhea, constipation or a feeling that the bowel does not empty completely. They also may experience bright red or very dark blood in the stool, stools that are narrower than normal, discomfort in the abdomen including frequent gas pains, bloating, fullness or cramps, weight loss with no known reason, constant and extreme tiredness, vomiting and anemia (low iron in the blood).

Some of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions. Talk with your health care provider if you think you are having any of these symptoms.

Who should be concerned about colorectal cancer?

While it does not get the attention of other cancers, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer (excluding skin cancer) in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Risks factors include:

Age: Chances of developing colorectal cancer increase after age 50. More than 90 percent of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are older than 50.

Personal history of colorectal cancer: If you have had colorectal cancer, even though it has been completely removed, you are more likely to develop new cancers in the colon and rectum.

A personal history of colorectal polyps: If you have had an adenomatous-type polyp, you are at increased risk for developing colorectal cancer, especially if the polyps are large or if there are many of them.

A personal history of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): If you have IBD, including ulcerative colitis or Crohn's Disease, you should begin having a screening colonoscopy eight to 12 years after being diagnosed.

A family history of colorectal cancer: Some cancers “run in the family” because something in the environment has contributed to the development of cancer and/or because certain family members were born with or inherited an increased susceptibility to cancer.

Unhealthy lifestyle choices: High fat diet, lack of physical activity, obesity, smoking and heavy use of alcohol all play a role in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is sometimes called a silent killer because in the early stages a person will often have no symptoms. Screening tests are one of the most powerful weapons in preventing colorectal cancer. This is because polyps, or growths, can be detected and removed before they have the chance to turn into cancer. Screening also can result in finding colorectal cancer early, when it is highly curable.

What screening tests are available to help detect colorectal cancer?

There are several different screening tests that can be used to find polyps or colorectal cancer. Each one can be used alone; sometimes they are used in combination. Talk to your doctor about which test(s) is right for you and how often you should be tested. For those of average risk, screening tests usually begin at age 50.

Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) - checks for hidden blood in the stool. Sometimes cancers or polyps can bleed and this test is used to pick up small amounts of bleeding. People having this test will receive a kit with instructions from the doctor on how to take a stool sample. The kit is returned to the doctor’s office and sent to a medical lab for testing. This test is not diagnostic for cancer; other follow-up procedures need to be done to find the source of the bleeding because the blood also may indicate other gastrointestinal problems.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy - an exam where a health care provider uses a sigmoidoscope, a tube with a light on the end to look at the rectum and lower part of the colon where most tumors appear. Because the sigmoidoscope is only around 2 feet long, the doctor is able to see the entire rectum, but less than half of the colon, with this procedure.

Colonoscopy - also uses a hollow, lighted tube called a colonoscope to inspect the entire colon. If polyps are found, they can be biopsied or removed. This test is recommended every 10 years after age 50, or as a follow-up to a positive screening test.

Double contrast barium enema (DCBE) - a series of X-rays of the colon and rectum. First, an enema with barium is given to outline the colon and rectum on the X-rays.

Digital rectal exam - a health care provider inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum to feel for any problem areas. This test should be done every year in conjunction with other screening tests (flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy or DCBE).

What are treatment options for colorectal cancer?

Treatment for colorectal cancer depends mostly on the size, location and extent of the tumor, as well as a person's overall health. Surgery to remove the tumor is the most common treatment for colorectal cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy also may be used to kill cancer cells. With new surgical techniques, treatment rarely requires a colostomy (an opening into a "bag" for passage of bowel movements).

How can I reduce my risk for colon cancer?

Screening is the most powerful tool in prevention – regular screening should begin after 50 years of age.

Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods.

Limit the intake of high-fat foods.

Be physically active with at least 30 minutes of exercise on five or more days of the week.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Know your family's cancer history.

Contraceptive pills increase risk of vascular diseases among women

Contraceptive pills increase risk of vascular diseases among women according to research

There are many views which are still being debated on as far as contraceptive pills and the risks of cardio vascular diseases among women. Before you pop an emergency birth control pill, one should think again. Contraceptive medication might be a quick way to prevent pregnancy, but it increases the risk of vascular diseases among women, say experts.

Doctors say a vascular disease called deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is on the rise and is linked with the increase in sales of over-the-counter contraceptive pills. Many people are not aware of such complications but there are some which might easily be felt. 

DVT is diagnosed through a host of symptoms that include mild pain in the areas of the chest, mild swelling and some pain in the hand and muscles and above all pulmonary or heart-related complications.

Women who smoke and drink increase their chances of DVT which is a serious vascular disease where the blood clot is formed in the deep veins that are the blood carriers, usually in the leg.

The pills claim to prevent pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of having unprotected sex.

But experts explain how the estrogen content in pills, produced naturally in a woman's body, becomes the reason for DVT occurrence.

As far as human bodies are concerned any amount of estrogen that is not required by the female body is harmful for her. The pills tend to increase the hormone level, resulting in pain and swelling caused by blood clot formation in the veins.

Sedentary lifestyle and changing work culture are some other reasons behind DVT. Sitting for long hours, long working  hours, no exercise, smoking and junk food causes that have lead  to shift in the hormonal imbalance.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over seven percent of adolescent girls smoke cigarettes as opposed to 12 percent of adolescent boys.

'The reason that the problem of DVT and contraceptives is serious is that a lot of young girls in their 20s come up with cases of the diseases.

Breast cancer

Facts About Breast Cancer

What is breast cancer?

Sometimes breast cells become abnormal. These abnormal cells grow, divide, and create new cells that the body does not need and that do not function normally. The extra cells form a mass called a tumor. Some tumors are "benign" or not cancer. These tumors usually stay in one spot in the breast and do not cause big health problems. Other tumors are "malignant" and are cancer. Breast cancer often starts out too small to be felt. As it grows, it can spread throughout the breast or to other parts of the body. This causes serious health problems and can cause death.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

Different people have different warning signs for breast cancer. Some people do not have any signs or symptoms at all. A person may find out they have breast cancer after a routine mammogram.

Some warning signs of breast cancer are—

new lump in or near the breast or under the arm

thickening or swelling of part of the breast

irritation or dimpling of breast skin

redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast

pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area

nipple discharge other than breast milk that occurs without squeezing

any change in the size or the shape of the breast

pain in any area of the breast

Keep in mind that some of these warning signs can happen with other conditions that are not cancer.

What are the risk factors for developing breast cancer?

being female

increasing age

having a family history of breast cancer

being older at the birth of your first child or never having a child

not breastfeeding

beginning menstruation before age 12 or completing menopause after age 55

drinking alcohol (more than one drink a day)

not getting regular exercise

being overweight

having a personal history of breast cancer or some non-cancerous breast diseases

having radiation therapy to the breast/chest

using hormone replacement therapy for a long time

using birth control pills

However, almost 75 percent of breast cancer cases occur in women without any risk factors, so everyone should be checked regularly.

What is a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer?

Excluding skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in American women and the second major cause of death after lung cancer. One out of eight women will develop breast cancer over the course of a lifetime.

What does it mean to have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer?

Genes that contain the hereditary information passed down from parent to child serve as the blueprint for many human features and characteristics. The most common cause of hereditary breast cancer is an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. In normal cells, these genes help prevent cancer by making proteins that help keep the cells from growing abnormally. If you have inherited a mutated copy of either gene from a parent, you have a high risk of developing breast cancer during your lifetime.

These cancers tend to occur in younger women and are more often bilateral (in both breasts) than cancers in women who are not born with one of these gene mutations. Women with these inherited mutations also have an increased risk for developing other cancers, particularly ovarian cancer.

Can breast cancer be prevented?

There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but there are things all women can do that might reduce their risk and help increase the odds that if cancer does occur, it is found at an early, more treatable stage. You can lower your risk of breast cancer by changing those risk factors that are under your control. If you limit alcohol use, exercise regularly, and stay at a healthy weight, you are decreasing your risk of getting breast cancer. Women who choose to breastfeed for at least several months also may reduce their breast cancer risk. Not using post-menopausal hormone therapy (PHT) also can help you avoid raising your risk.

How can breast cancer be found early?

Early detection can help save lives. Mammography remains the most effective means available to detect cancer in its earliest stages. (See Facts About Breast Cancer, Breast Exams and Mammograms for more information.)

Where can I find financial help to get a mammogram?

Partial or total costs of mammograms are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private health plans. To find out what the law requires insurance carriers to provide, go to the Illinois Department of Insurance’s Web site: http://www.insurance.illinois.gov/HealthInsurance/Women.asp

The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program provides free mammograms and Pap tests for women who qualify - women age 35 to 64 and are uninsured. Younger women may qualify if they have symptoms. To find a site near you that provides this free service

How is breast cancer diagnosed?

Doctors often use additional tests to find or diagnose breast cancer.

Breast ultrasound. A machine uses sound waves to make detailed pictures, called sonograms, of areas inside the breast.

Diagnostic mammogram. If you have a problem in your breast, such as lumps, or if an area of the breast looks abnormal on a screening mammogram, doctors may have you get a diagnostic mammogram. This is a more detailed X-ray of the breast.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A kind of body scan that uses a magnet linked to a computer. The MRI scan will make detailed pictures of areas inside the breast.

Biopsy. This is a test that removes tissue or fluid from the breast to be looked at under a microscope and do more testing. There are different kinds of biopsies (for example, fine-needle aspiration, core biopsy, or open biopsy).

What is staging?

If breast cancer is diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body. This process is called staging. Whether the cancer is only in the breast, is found in lymph nodes under your arm, or has spread outside the breast determines your stage of breast cancer. The type and stage of breast cancer tells doctors what kind of treatment will be needed.

How is breast cancer treated?

Breast cancer is treated in several ways. It depends on the kind of breast cancer and how far it has spread. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biologic therapy, and radiation. People with breast cancer often get more than one kind of treatment.

Surgery. An operation where doctors cut out and remove cancer tissue.

Chemotherapy. Using special medicines, or drugs to shrink or kill the cancer. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given through an intravenous (IV) tube, or, sometimes, both.

Hormonal therapy. Some cancers need certain hormones to grow. Hormonal treatment is used to block cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.

Biological therapy. This treatment works with your body's immune system to help it fight cancer or to control side effects from other cancer treatments. Side effects are how your body reacts to drugs or other treatments. Biological therapy is different from chemotherapy, which attacks cancer cells directly.

Radiation. The use of high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells. The rays are aimed at the part of the body where the cancer is located.

It is common for doctors from different specialties to work together in treating breast cancer. Surgeons are doctors that perform operations. Medical oncologists are doctors that treat cancers with medicines. Radiation oncologists are doctors that treat cancers with radiation.

Facts About Breast Exams and Mammograms

Facts About Breast Cancer, Breast Exams and Mammograms

Detecting breast cancer in the earliest and most curable state could save the lives of many Illinois women.

There are three methods of early detection that all women should practice: monthly breast self-exams, annual clinical breast examinations by a health care professional and regular mammograms.

Breast Self-Exam (BSE)

All women 20 years of age and older should perform a BSE each month, two to three days after your period or on the same date each month if you no longer have periods. Monthly BSE helps you learn the way your breasts normally look and feel and allows you to notice changes. The following changes should be reported to your health care provider:

new lump in or near the breast or under the arm

thickening or swelling of part of the breast

irritation or dimpling of breast skin

redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast

pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area

nipple discharge other than breast milk that occurs without squeezing

any change in the size or the shape of the breast

pain in any area of the breast

Keep in mind that some of these warning signs can happen with other conditions that are not cancer.

Clinical Breast Exam (CBE)

A CBE should be a part of every yearly health exam for women 20 years of age and older. During the CBE, your doctor or nurse will carefully feel your breasts and under your arms checking for lumps and other changes. During the CBE, your health care provider can show you the correct way to perform a breast self-exam, if you ask for help.

Mammography

To find out if you’re eligible for free mammograms, click here .

Mammograms are the best available method to detect breast cancer in its earliest,

most treatable stage. However, mammograms are not perfect and can miss some cancers. A woman should not ignore something she feels because her mammogram is normal. Changes can be especially difficult to spot in dense, glandular breast of a younger woman. This is why women of all ages should have a clinical breast exam (an exam done by a health care provider) every year.

A screening mammogram is an X-ray examination of the breast in a woman who has no breast complaints (asymptomatic). The goal of screening mammography is to find cancer when it is still too small to be felt by breast self-examination or your doctor. Finding small breast cancers early by a screening mammogram greatly improves your chance for successful treatment. Mammograms produce high quality X-rays, with a low dose of radiation. For a mammogram, the breast is positioned between two smooth plastic plates to flatten your breast tissue and allow a lower dose of X-ray. Although this may be temporarily uncomfortable, it only lasts for a few seconds. The entire procedure for a screening mammogram takes about 20 minutes.

When should women have a screening mammogram?

Most women should have their first mammogram at age 40 and then have another mammogram every year. If you have any symptoms or changes in your breast, or if breast cancer runs in your family, talk to your health care professional. He or she may recommend that you have mammograms earlier or more often than other women.

How can I get ready for my mammogram?

Make your mammogram appointment for one week after your period. Your breasts hurt less after your period.

Bring a list of the places, dates of mammograms, biopsies, present symptoms, or other breast treatment you have had before.

If you have had mammograms at another facility, you should bring them so the doctor can compare the results with previous scans.

On the day of the examination, do not wear deodorant, perfume or powder; this can interfere with the mammogram by appearing on the X-ray film as calcium spots.

Wear a shirt with shorts, pants or a skirt. That way you can undress from the waist up and leave your shorts, pants, or skirt o