According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), you should avoid the following types of foods, especially when being treated for breast cancer:
Charred and deep-fried foods. Both cause a condition known as "internal heat" in the stomach, which can cause a functional disorder of this organ. (It is especially important to avoid these foods when undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, since the treatments already create excess heat in the body.)
Raw vegetables. Eating too many raw vegetables weakens the stomach and spleen, two organs essential for breast-cancer prevention. Although some nutrition is invariably lost when cooking vegetables, raw vegetables take a great deal more energy to digest than cooked vegetables.
Cold or iced foods and beverages. Your stomach functions best when the food you eat is warm. Consuming cold foods and beverages day after day can unbalance the stomach function.
source: http://www.breastcancer.com/self-care/foods/foods_to_avoid/
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
10 Facts about breast cancer
Fact # 1
All women are at risk.
Approximately 70% of breast cancers occur in women with none of the known risk factors.
Fact # 2
Only about 5% of breast cancers are inherited.
About 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will be the first to be victims in their families.
Fact # 3
Breast cancer is the leading killer of women ages 35 to 54 worldwide.
More than a million women develop breast cancer without knowing it and almost 500,000 die from it every year.
Fact # 4
One out of four who are diagnosed with breast cancer die within the first five years.
No less than 40% die within ten years.
Fact # 5
The incidence of breast cancer has been rising for the past 30 years.
And the supposed authorities and experts that should know, don't know why.
Fact # 6
Risk factors are not necessarily causes of breast cancer.
Enough evidence exist linking environmental pollution and contamination to cause breast cancer.
Fact # 7
Mammography fails to detect as much as 20% of all breast cancer
and as much as 40% in women under the age of 50.
Fact # 8
Early detection does not prevent breast cancer.
Avoiding and eliminating known causes will prevent breast cancer.
Fact # 9
One out of eight North American women will develop breast cancer.
The San Francisco Bay Area has the highest incidence rate in the entire world.
Fact # 10
The Philippines has the highest incidence rate of breast cancer in Asia
and is today considered to have the 9th highest incidence rate in the world today.
source: http://www.pbcn.org/wst_page5.html
All women are at risk.
Approximately 70% of breast cancers occur in women with none of the known risk factors.
Fact # 2
Only about 5% of breast cancers are inherited.
About 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will be the first to be victims in their families.
Fact # 3
Breast cancer is the leading killer of women ages 35 to 54 worldwide.
More than a million women develop breast cancer without knowing it and almost 500,000 die from it every year.
Fact # 4
One out of four who are diagnosed with breast cancer die within the first five years.
No less than 40% die within ten years.
Fact # 5
The incidence of breast cancer has been rising for the past 30 years.
And the supposed authorities and experts that should know, don't know why.
Fact # 6
Risk factors are not necessarily causes of breast cancer.
Enough evidence exist linking environmental pollution and contamination to cause breast cancer.
Fact # 7
Mammography fails to detect as much as 20% of all breast cancer
and as much as 40% in women under the age of 50.
Fact # 8
Early detection does not prevent breast cancer.
Avoiding and eliminating known causes will prevent breast cancer.
Fact # 9
One out of eight North American women will develop breast cancer.
The San Francisco Bay Area has the highest incidence rate in the entire world.
Fact # 10
The Philippines has the highest incidence rate of breast cancer in Asia
and is today considered to have the 9th highest incidence rate in the world today.
source: http://www.pbcn.org/wst_page5.html
Sunday, July 20, 2008
breast cancer in the family
breast cancer does not affect the one who is afflicted with the disease only. it affects the whole family. it is a disease that slowly eats away the family’s finances and esteem... that’s why it is important to have a support system during these trying times.
Types of Breast Cancer
There are many types of breast cancer, though some of them are very rare. Sometimes a breast tumor can be a combination of these types and to have a mixture of invasive and in situ cancer.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This is the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer. DCIS means that the cancer is only in the ducts. It has not spread through the walls of the ducts into the tissue of the breast. Nearly all women with cancer at this stage can be cured. Often the best way to find DCIS early is with a mammogram.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): This condition begins in the milk-making glands but does not go through the wall of the lobules. Although not a true cancer, having LCIS increases a woman's risk of getting cancer later. For this reason, it's important that women with LCIS to follow the screening guidelines for breast cancer (these are discussed later in this document).
Invasive (infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC): This is the most common breast cancer. It starts in a milk passage or duct, breaks through the wall of the duct, and invades the tissue of the breast. From there it can spread to other parts of the body. It accounts for about 8 out of 10 invasive breast cancers.
Invasive (infiltrating) lobular carcinoma (ILC): This cancer starts in the milk glands or lobules. It can spread to other parts of the body. About 1 out of 10 invasive breast cancers are of this type.
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC): This uncommon type of invasive breast cancer accounts for about 1% to 3% of all breast cancers. Usually there is no single lump or tumor. Instead, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) makes the skin of the breast look red and feel warm. It also gives the skin a thick, pitted appearance that looks a lot like an orange peel. Doctors now know that these changes are not caused by inflammation or infection, but by cancer cells blocking lymph vessels in the skin. The breast may become larger, firmer, tender, or itchy. IBC is often mistaken for an infection in its early stages. Because there is no defined lump, it may not appear on a mammogram, which may make it even harder to catch it early. It usually has a higher chance of spreading and a worse outlook than invasive ductal or lobular cancer.
There are also many other less common types of breast cancer. You can get information about these through our toll-free number or on our Web site.
source: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_What_is_breast_cancer_5.asp?sitearea=
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This is the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer. DCIS means that the cancer is only in the ducts. It has not spread through the walls of the ducts into the tissue of the breast. Nearly all women with cancer at this stage can be cured. Often the best way to find DCIS early is with a mammogram.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): This condition begins in the milk-making glands but does not go through the wall of the lobules. Although not a true cancer, having LCIS increases a woman's risk of getting cancer later. For this reason, it's important that women with LCIS to follow the screening guidelines for breast cancer (these are discussed later in this document).
Invasive (infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC): This is the most common breast cancer. It starts in a milk passage or duct, breaks through the wall of the duct, and invades the tissue of the breast. From there it can spread to other parts of the body. It accounts for about 8 out of 10 invasive breast cancers.
Invasive (infiltrating) lobular carcinoma (ILC): This cancer starts in the milk glands or lobules. It can spread to other parts of the body. About 1 out of 10 invasive breast cancers are of this type.
Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC): This uncommon type of invasive breast cancer accounts for about 1% to 3% of all breast cancers. Usually there is no single lump or tumor. Instead, inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) makes the skin of the breast look red and feel warm. It also gives the skin a thick, pitted appearance that looks a lot like an orange peel. Doctors now know that these changes are not caused by inflammation or infection, but by cancer cells blocking lymph vessels in the skin. The breast may become larger, firmer, tender, or itchy. IBC is often mistaken for an infection in its early stages. Because there is no defined lump, it may not appear on a mammogram, which may make it even harder to catch it early. It usually has a higher chance of spreading and a worse outlook than invasive ductal or lobular cancer.
There are also many other less common types of breast cancer. You can get information about these through our toll-free number or on our Web site.
source: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_What_is_breast_cancer_5.asp?sitearea=
Thursday, July 17, 2008
what is breast cancer
Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that starts from cells of the breast. The disease occurs mostly in women, but men can get breast cancer too. The information here refers only to breast cancer in women. There is separate information about breast cancer in men available in the American Cancer Society's document
Normal Breast Structure
In order to understand breast cancer, it is helpful to have some basic knowledge about the normal structure of the breasts, as shown in the picture below.
A woman’s breast is made up of glands that make breast milk (lobules), ducts (small tubes that carry milk from the lobules to the nipple), fatty and connective tissue, blood vessels, and lymph (pronounced limf) vessels. Most breast cancers begin in the cells that line the ducts (ductal cancer), some begin in the lobules (lobular cancer), and the rest in other tissues.
The Lymph System
The lymph system is important because it is one of the ways in which breast cancers can spread. This system has several parts.
Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that are connected by lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels are like small veins, except that they carry a clear fluid called lymph (instead of blood) away from the breast. Breast cancer cells can enter lymphatic vessels and begin to grow in lymph nodes.
Most lymph vessels of the breast lead to lymph nodes under the arm. These are called axillary (ax-uh-lair-ee) nodes. If breast cancer cells reach the underarm lymph nodes and continue to grow, they cause the nodes to swell. Once cancer cells have reached these nodes they are more likely to spread to other organs of the body too. Knowing whether cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes is important because if they have, there is a higher chance that the cells have also gotten into the bloodstream and spread to other places in the body. This could affect the treatment plan.
Benign Breast Lumps
Most breast lumps are benign (be-nine); that is, they are not cancer. Benign breast tumors are abnormal growths, but they do not spread outside of the breast and they are not life threatening. But some benign breast lumps can increase a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer.
Most lumps turn out to be caused by fibrocystic (fi-bro-sis-tik) changes. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs. Fibrosis is the formation of scar-like tissue. Such changes can cause breast swelling and pain. The breasts may feel lumpy, and sometimes there is a clear or slightly cloudy nipple discharge. For more detail, please see the document,
source: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_What_is_breast_cancer_5.asp?sitearea=
Normal Breast Structure
In order to understand breast cancer, it is helpful to have some basic knowledge about the normal structure of the breasts, as shown in the picture below.
A woman’s breast is made up of glands that make breast milk (lobules), ducts (small tubes that carry milk from the lobules to the nipple), fatty and connective tissue, blood vessels, and lymph (pronounced limf) vessels. Most breast cancers begin in the cells that line the ducts (ductal cancer), some begin in the lobules (lobular cancer), and the rest in other tissues.
The Lymph System
The lymph system is important because it is one of the ways in which breast cancers can spread. This system has several parts.
Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that are connected by lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels are like small veins, except that they carry a clear fluid called lymph (instead of blood) away from the breast. Breast cancer cells can enter lymphatic vessels and begin to grow in lymph nodes.
Most lymph vessels of the breast lead to lymph nodes under the arm. These are called axillary (ax-uh-lair-ee) nodes. If breast cancer cells reach the underarm lymph nodes and continue to grow, they cause the nodes to swell. Once cancer cells have reached these nodes they are more likely to spread to other organs of the body too. Knowing whether cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes is important because if they have, there is a higher chance that the cells have also gotten into the bloodstream and spread to other places in the body. This could affect the treatment plan.
Benign Breast Lumps
Most breast lumps are benign (be-nine); that is, they are not cancer. Benign breast tumors are abnormal growths, but they do not spread outside of the breast and they are not life threatening. But some benign breast lumps can increase a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer.
Most lumps turn out to be caused by fibrocystic (fi-bro-sis-tik) changes. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs. Fibrosis is the formation of scar-like tissue. Such changes can cause breast swelling and pain. The breasts may feel lumpy, and sometimes there is a clear or slightly cloudy nipple discharge. For more detail, please see the document,
source: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_What_is_breast_cancer_5.asp?sitearea=
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