In recent years there has been an abundance of research investigating the benefits of green and black tea on preventing disease. And, the results have been divided. Depending on the health condition being evaluated, some studies have shown green tea to be more effective, while others have shown green and black tea to be equally effective.

Green tea differs from black in its processing. Both come from the Camellia sinensis plant, but black tea is fermented when processed. This fermentation changes some of the tea plant’s compounds, and effectively reduces some of the most important anti-oxidants, namely EGCG, one of the most important anti-oxidants you can consume. However, black tea does still contain many other important anti-oxidants.

When it comes to preventing many forms of disease, EGCG seems to be an important component, making green tea the drink of choice. In addition, the reason tea came into focus in the first place was the noticeably lower rates of disease in Asian countries, where tea is consumed in large quantities - most of it green tea.

One of the diseases that tea is reported to prevent is breast cancer. Several studies have shown that tea, green in particular, seems to significantly lower your chances of developing breast cancer. Some studies have even suggested that green tea could even be an effective treatment for breast cancer.

One study conducted on breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy noted that those participants who regularly consumed green tea during their chemotherapy treatments showed higher concentrations of the chemotherapy drugs in their cancer cells than those who did not consume green tea.

Other studies have indicated that green tea can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, possibly preventing the spread of the disease. And, additional studies have shown that green tea may prevent the recurrence of breast cancer in patients diagnosed at Stage I or II of the disease.

But, what about black tea? Why have similar results not been shown with the consumption of green tea? The theory is that it has to do with hormones.

Green tea is thought to reduce certain circulating sex-steroid hormones, such as estone and estradiol, and that black tea may increase the levels of these hormones. If the reduction in breast cancer risk is due to the lower level of these sex-steroid hormones, then it’s easy to see why green tea is more effective at preventing breast cancer than black tea.

One study in Singapore evaluated a cross section of 130 healthy post-menopausal Chinese women. Their tea consumption broke down like this:

• 84 were non or irregular tea drinkers – meaning they drank tea less than once a week.

• 27 were regular green tea drinkers – meaning they drank green tea weekly or daily

• 19 were regular black tea drinkers

The study concluded that, relative to the estrone levels in the non tea drinkers, the green tea drinkers showed a lower estrone level, and the black tea drinkers showed a higher estrone level. In fact, the green tea drinkers showed a 13% lower estrone level, and the black tea drinkers showed a 19% higher level of estrone than those who did not drink tea. A similar relationship was found between tea drinking habits and estradiol levels.

While this study alone cannot be considered conclusive, it does suggest that, if high levels of circulating sex steroids increase the risk of breast cancer, green tea is a much better preventative than black tea.

Most researchers agree that having high levels of circulating hormones like estrogen (which is made up of estradiol and estrone) after menopause does increase your risk of breast cancer. This is why women who take hormone supplements to help ease the symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of developing cancer over women who do not treat their menopausal symptoms with hormones like estrogen therapy.

So, if you’ve experienced menopause and you’re at an increased risk for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about tea drinking. Particularly if you drink large quantities of black tea, it might be wise to reduce this amount, and replace it with green tea.

It’s clear that we don’t fully understand the relationship between tea and breast cancer, and that much more research should be performed. However, we do have a pretty clear picture that green tea prevents many forms of cancer, breast cancer among them.

So, it’s probably a good idea to keep drinking your green tea. While it’s true that we don’t have all the answers, it does seem clear that green tea offers many health benefits and that drinking it is a healthy habit that all of us should get into.

Green tea is delicious, refreshing and widely available. All of these attributes make green tea a simple way to improve our health and reduce the risk of certain diseases. So, make a cup of green tea, and drink to your health!

In recent years, lots of research has been performed on green tea’s ability to prevent and treat breast cancer. The news has been extremely promising; it appears that as we learn more, we’ll eventually determine that green tea is, indeed, one of the simplest things we can do to protect breast health. Since about 13% of all American women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, breast health is a significant concern for all of us.

One study showed that tea helped to ensure that women had an appropriate level of the sex hormone binding globulin on critical days of their cycle. The level of binding globulin is important because low levels of this hormone in pre-menopausal women have been associated with a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Another study showed that one group of Chinese women who were at a higher than average risk of developing cancer, due to angiotensin activity in their blood, were able to lower their breast cancer risk by drinking green tea. This study concluded that even women who drank green tea only weekly were at a lower risk than those who drank it only monthly or not at all.

One study also showed that green tea may be able to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Green tea was shown to increase the concentration of chemotherapy drugs in the cancer cells, compared to women who received chemotherapy without green tea as an adjunct treatment. Green tea was also shown to slow the growth of cancer cells, suggesting that it may inhibit cancer progression and metastasis.

Green tea’s anti-oxidants are what make it such a powerful health protector. The anti-oxidants in green tea have been shown to be more than 100 times as effective at neutralizing free radicals as vitamin C, and 25 times more powerful than vitamin E, both of which are well recognized as anti-oxidants. In addition, the EGCG in green tea have also been found to be more powerful than BHA, BHT and Resveratol, all of which are considered some of the most potent anti-oxidants around.

And, now there’s a study that’s shown that green tea may prevent breast cancer from recurring, too. This study, reported by the UK Tea Council, examined many databases that contained information about breast cancer patients and their rate of recurrence.

The study concluded that women who consumed more than 5 cups of green tea per day had a slightly lower than average risk of developing breast cancer than women who consumed a smaller amount or who did not drink green tea at all.

In addition, this study showed that women with Stages 1 and 2 breast cancer who drank green tea daily showed a decreased risk of breast cancer recurrence over women who did not drink green tea.

This is very promising news, both for women who are trying to prevent breast cancer and for women who are already battling the disease. It appears that green tea may be an important part of the treatment of breast cancer, in order to lessen the chances that the cancer will recur later.

Each recurrence of breast cancer is more difficult to treat than the previous ones, and each one increases your mortality risk from the disease. So, while prevention is critical in all women – preventing recurrence for those who are already battling the disease is just as critical.

When you combine all the evidence that’s out there, it’s hard to ignore the fact that green tea holds a lot of promise in the fight against breast cancer.

So, if you’re at a higher than average risk for developing breast cancer, it’s wise to consider adding green tea to your diet. Even if it doesn’t prevent you from getting breast cancer, green tea has no side effects, and is considered to be completely safe to consume.

In addition to adding green tea to your diet, you should also take steps to ensure that you’re living an overall healthy life. This means eating a healthy diet, that includes lots of fruits and vegetables (these are high in anti-oxidants just like green tea) and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Switch to whole grains and be certain that you’re getting an adequate amount of fiber.

You should also exercise. Exercise helps burn calories and maintain a normal body weight. In addition, exercise helps build muscle and keep your body strong, which comes in handy as we age.

Finally, if you smoke, stop. We’re all aware that smoking increases our risk for lung cancer, but what many people don’t know is that smoking increases your overall risk of cancer. So, smoking may contribute to you having a higher risk of breast cancer, too. Smoking also contributes to heart disease.

We’re learning more and more about the benefits of drinking green tea. It’s likely that in a few years, we’ll truly understand how this popular beverage keeps us healthy. But, in the meantime, you should get a head start on the road to health by having some green tea today and every day!

This year, 40,000 women will die from breast cancer, and over 200,000 will be diagnosed with the disease. Researchers are hard at work to determine ways to prevent breast cancer, helping women learn how to protect themselves from this frightening disease.

As it stands today, about 13% of American women will develop breast cancer at some point during their lifetime. A better understanding of the causes of breast cancer and ways to prevent it can help us reduce that number in our lifetime.

We know that a healthy diet and exercise are important to preventing breast and other cancers. In particular, a diet rich in anti-oxidants can help the body age gracefully and avoid diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Anti-oxidants are important because they fight free radicals created in the body as it converts food to energy. These free radicals can cause disease and aging over time. Anti-oxidants and their ability to check free radicals help to keep our bodies young and healthy.

Fruits and vegetables are among the best sources of anti-oxidants. In particular, vegetables such as artichokes, tomatoes, and asparagus along with fruits like blueberries and pomegranates can help reduce your chances of disease and keep you young.

Another significant source of anti-oxidants is green tea. Green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, as does all true tea. Green tea is higher in anti-oxidants than black tea because it is not fermented during processing. The lack of fermentation leaves the tea plant’s anti-oxidants in their most natural and protective state, making it one of the most protective substances you can consume.

Scientists have spent years researching the potential of green tea, particularly its ability to prevent, and even treat cancers, including breast cancer. They have learned that green tea offers much potential in prevention of breast cancer.

One study in particular looked at women in Singapore who had a higher than average risk of breast cancer. This study, reported by the UK Tea Council, studied women who had a high level of angiotensin II activity. Angiotensin is an ogliopeptide in the blood that causes blood vessels to constrict, causing high blood pressure. It also releases aldosterone from the adrenal cortex. Aldosterone is a hormone that regulates potassium and sodium in the blood.

Women who have low angiotensin II activity seem to be at a lower risk for breast cancer. Therefore, researchers theorized that women with high angiotensin II activity would be more susceptible to the protective effects of green tea.

So, in this study, researchers looked at 297 women with breast cancer and just over 600 control subjects. The study concluded that among the women with high angiotensin II activity, green tea was able to significantly lower the risk of breast cancer. The green tea did not appear to have a protective effect on the women with lower than average angiotensin II activity.*

This study didn’t show that it was necessary to consume green tea in large quantities in order to see benefit. The study concluded that women who drank green tea weekly were at a lower risk than those who drank it only monthly or not at all.

This conclusion is on target with other research that has shown that drugs which inhibit angiotensin activity (drugs to treat high blood pressure) reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer over those women whose blood pressure goes untreated. It seems that keeping angiotensin II at bay is effective at reducing blood pressure problems and lowering breast cancer risk at the same time.

This is promising news for those who may be at a higher uncontrollable risk of breast cancer. Angiotensin activity, like some other risk factors for breast cancer, such as family history, cannot be controlled or moderated. But, if green tea can lessen the impact of angiotensin II activity, this may minimize the risk of breast cancer for a large group of higher risk women.

We all know that it’s important for each of us to take an active role in protecting our health. And, as more research is performed, it becomes more evident that drinking green tea is an especially simple and effective way to do so.

Adding green tea to your daily life is simple and delicious. Green tea is available loose, in bottles and in tea bags. You can make your own cup of hot tea to warm up a cold night, keep a pitcher of iced green tea in the refrigerator, or grab a bottled green tea on the way to your workout.

You can find green tea flavored with many different fruit flavors to suit any palate. And, if that still doesn’t get you enough green tea to help your health, there are green tea supplements, too. Simply pop a green tea supplement with your vitamins each day to help get an extra dose. Keep in mind that it appears that even drinking moderate amounts of green tea can help protect your health.

It is an incredibly difficult day in any woman's life if she is found positive for breast cancer. Her family, friends, and anyone else who knows will wonder "why?" Why did this happen to her, and can it happen to me? One shield against such fears is to educate yourself as to the breast cancer causes and what signs to look for. Breast cancer is a disease where cells in your breasts begin dividing uncontrollably, forming the lumps that we are taught to examine ourselves for.

One thing is certain; cancer is a difficult disease to study. It is often difficult or impossible to tell in individual cases what caused breast cancer. However, what doctors do have a better grasp on are some of the things that are common among women (and the occasional men) who get breast cancer.

These are known more appropriately as breast cancer risk factors.

The following are a few breast cancer causes:

* Genetics and family history

* Age

* Early menstruation

* Delayed childbearing

* Presence of cancer or non-cancerous lumps in breasts previously

Genetics and family history are not exactly the same, but they are related. If there is a family history of cancer, you may be more at risk for breast cancer. However, you may be genetically at risk even without a family history of the disease. Mutations can occur in your genes that put you at risk.

If we talk about breast cancer causes, age is one of them, the older you get, the longer you are exposed to environmental factors that may mutate your genes.

Early menstruation and delayed childbearing both increase the amount of time that you are exposed to estrogen. This is one of the risk factors for breast cancer.

Presence of cancer or even non-cancerous lumps in a breast previously means you may be more at risk for breast cancer.

Breast cancer causes are difficult to pinpoint. At one level, it is fairly easy. Breast cancer is caused by a mutation that makes your cells divide uncontrollably. On another level, it is very complex. Excessive weight, radiation exposure, hormone therapy, and smoking are all potential breast cancer causes, in that they could trigger that genetic mutation.

There are several indications of a locally advanced breast cancer: a stage 3 cancer, with a size larger than two inches and lymph node metastasis; swelling of the skin, or a big, matted cluster of lymph nodes in the armpit; or it might be stuck to the chest muscle, or ulcerating through the skin.

These are all indications that the breast cancer is likely to have spread to elsewhere in the body, at least microscopically and so when they are discovered, surgery isn't always the first step taken. Lymph node sampling isn't necessary. There is frequently a question whether a wide excision is even possible. If you've got very large breasts, it might be, but if your breasts are small, surgeons may not be able to get enough surrounding tissue out without a mastectomy. It the tumor is stuck to the chest muscle or ulcerating through the breast skin, an immediate local treatment might not be feasible at all; removing the muscle or all the skin that is ulcerated might not leave sufficient tissue to sew back together again.

All this generally suggests that it would be wise to start a systemic rather than local treatment, usually in the form of chemotherapy and this is now fairly generally agreed on in the medical community. Normally, the drugs used are Adriamycin and Cytoxan and/or Taxol or Taxotere. This may not eradicate the whole tumor, but if it doesn't, it can still do two things: it can destroy the cancer cells that have spread to various organs and it can shrink the tumor size to a size that can be more easily managed with surgery or radiation. Oftentimes, chemotherapy is continued for three to four cycles and then the situation is re-evaluated. If the tumor has shrunk, a lumpectomy (the surgical removal of a small tumor or a lump); if there is no change, surgeons resort to a surgical technique known as mastectomy, or surgical removal of the breast. Even when the tumor seems to have disappeared, there may still be some cancer cells present. Most doctors always want to at least a lumpectomy on the spot where the tumor where the tumor had been to see what's actually left. If the lumpectomy is clear or shows clean margins, you are a candidate for radiotherapy. Similarly, if doctors can do a lumpectomy and clear margins because the lump is small, that in addition to radiation is a sensible treatment. If there is still a large lump or a lot of cancer at the margins, the best option might be to do a mastectomy with or without immediate breast reconstruction. In the case of an ulceration that doesn't have enough skin to sew back together, breast reconstruction has not only a cosmetic but also a medical advantage: reconstruction provides skin from another part of the body.

After lumpectomy or mastectomy, some women with stage 3 breast cancer receive high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue (bone marrow transplantation). Knowing that many of these locally advanced cancers are very aggressive, many doctors feel that a higher dose of chemotherapy is advisable. Different hospitals have different preferences in treatment order and combinations. Most centers do chemotherapy first and many of them will then do a mastectomy. Some of them will consider breast conservation surgery, if the lump becomes small enough and they usually follow up with radiation therapy. Combinations of treatments in this kind of breast cancer produce better response rates.

Inflammatory breast cancer is a special kind of advanced breast cancer and it's a serious one. Though we see an increasing number of cases, it is rare, accounting for only 1 to 4 percent of all breast cancers. Overall survival is worse in women with this kind of breast cancer than in other forms of breast cancer. It is inflammatory because its initial manifestations are usually redness and warmth in the skin of the breast, often without a palpable lump. Oftentimes, the patient and even the doctor will mistake it for a simple infection and she'll be put on antibiotics. But it doesn't get better. It also doesn't get worse and that's the tip-off: an infection will always get better or worse within a week or two - it rarely stays the same. If no change seems to be evident, the doctor should perform a biopsy of the underlying tissue to see if it is cancer.

An asymptomatic breast cancer patient was breast-feeding and developed what her doctor thought was lactational mastitis or inflammation of the breast brought about by breast-feeding. It never cleared up and did not hurt much - there was no fever sign of infection. It hadn't gone away or gotten worse in six months. Another patient, not breast-feeding, noticed that one breast had suddenly become larger than the other; there was also redness and swelling. In both cases, the doctors at first thought the women had breast infections. So if the symptoms continue after treatment, you should ask to have a biopsy done of the breast tissue and of the skin itself. With inflammatory breast cancer, you have cancer in the lymph vessels of your skin, which makes the skin red. An internet survey done on women with the disease by a man whose wife had died of inflammatory breast cancer showed that most women said they wished they had known that when there is redness of the breast skin unresponsive to antibiotic therapy, this is indicative of inflammatory breast cancer. Probably their doctors were not breast specialists and did not know about this unusual type of breast cancer.

Inflammatory breast cancer is the only kind of breast cancer that virtually everyone agrees doesn't call for mastectomy as its sole primary treatment. Because it involves the lymphatic vessels of the skin as well as of the breast tissue and the skin is sewn back after mastectomy (surgical removal of the breast), doing a mastectomy will leave a great chance of recurrence in the skin. Chemotherapy would be treatment of choice for this type of breast cancer before any local treatment can be entertained.

The incidence of inflammatory breast cancer is quite variable. Women with this cancer tend to be significantly younger than those with other breast cancers and African Americans with this type of cancer tend to be younger than Caucasians.

As with all advanced cancers, chemotherapy is started with three or four cycles of Adriamycin and Cytoxan with or without Taxol or Taxotere. After which local treatment can be done - usually in the form of mastectomy. After mastectomy, most women will receive four more cycles of chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy to the chest wall. Serious though it can be, inflammatory breast cancer is still an extremely variable disease.

There are several indications of a locally advanced breast cancer: a stage 3 cancer, with a size larger than two inches and lymph node metastasis; swelling of the skin, or a big, matted cluster of lymph nodes in the armpit; or it might be stuck to the chest muscle, or ulcerating through the skin.

These are all indications that the breast cancer is likely to have spread to elsewhere in the body, at least microscopically and so when they are discovered, surgery isn't always the first step taken. Lymph node sampling isn't necessary. There is frequently a question whether a wide excision is even possible. If you've got very large breasts, it might be, but if your breasts are small, surgeons may not be able to get enough surrounding tissue out without a mastectomy. It the tumor is stuck to the chest muscle or ulcerating through the breast skin, an immediate local treatment might not be feasible at all; removing the muscle or all the skin that is ulcerated might not leave sufficient tissue to sew back together again.

All this generally suggests that it would be wise to start a systemic rather than local treatment, usually in the form of chemotherapy and this is now fairly generally agreed on in the medical community. Normally, the drugs used are Adriamycin and Cytoxan and/or Taxol or Taxotere. This may not eradicate the whole tumor, but if it doesn't, it can still do two things: it can destroy the cancer cells that have spread to various organs and it can shrink the tumor size to a size that can be more easily managed with surgery or radiation. Oftentimes, chemotherapy is continued for three to four cycles and then the situation is re-evaluated. If the tumor has shrunk, a lumpectomy (the surgical removal of a small tumor or a lump); if there is no change, surgeons resort to a surgical technique known as mastectomy, or surgical removal of the breast. Even when the tumor seems to have disappeared, there may still be some cancer cells present. Most doctors always want to at least a lumpectomy on the spot where the tumor where the tumor had been to see what's actually left. If the lumpectomy is clear or shows clean margins, you are a candidate for radiotherapy. Similarly, if doctors can do a lumpectomy and clear margins because the lump is small, that in addition to radiation is a sensible treatment. If there is still a large lump or a lot of cancer at the margins, the best option might be to do a mastectomy with or without immediate breast reconstruction. In the case of an ulceration that doesn't have enough skin to sew back together, breast reconstruction has not only a cosmetic but also a medical advantage: reconstruction provides skin from another part of the body.

After lumpectomy or mastectomy, some women with stage 3 breast cancer receive high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue (bone marrow transplantation). Knowing that many of these locally advanced cancers are very aggressive, many doctors feel that a higher dose of chemotherapy is advisable. Different hospitals have different preferences in treatment order and combinations. Most centers do chemotherapy first and many of them will then do a mastectomy. Some of them will consider breast conservation surgery, if the lump becomes small enough and they usually follow up with radiation therapy. Combinations of treatments in this kind of breast cancer produce better response rates.

Sometimes a cancer is unusual, not in itself, but in the situation which it occurs. Breast cancer is most common in women over 50; there are several cases in women in their 40s. It is far rarer in women under 40, but it does occur. We tend to be particularly shocked when it occurs in a young woman. In this situation it is detected as a lump, since generally, breast cancer screening through mammography is not done in young women.

Very often, a young woman gets misdiagnosed. She detects a lump and she is told it is just lumpy breasts and it is followed for a while until doctors realize it's something serious. Although this can be horrifying, in fact, it's quite understandable, since the vast majority of lumps in women under 35 are totally benign and the risk of cancer is very low. The fact that cancer is not diagnosed immediately doesn't mean that the young patient will die; since most breast cancers have been around 8 to 10 years, and whether it is diagnosed the minute you find it or six months later isn't the critical factor. We're so horrified when a young woman gets breast cancer that there's a disappointing number of lawsuits against doctors failing to find breast cancer in this population, because they're often misdiagnosed and because it's such a gut-wrenching situation. However, in most cases the doctors are not negligent. Still, doctors should be taught that young women can develop breast cancer and that doctors should remain vigilant.

Many doctors believe that breast cancer in a young woman is more aggressive than in older ones. Two studies have recently shed some light on this theory. Both studies showed that the mortality from breast cancer was higher in women who had been pregnant in the past four years. Risk was assessed to be higher right after pregnancy and decreased with each year, going back to normal after four years. Since young women are more likely to have been recently pregnant, they will show more of this effect. This suggests that it may not be the woman's age itself that affects aggressiveness but the changes in her immune system and hormones that go with pregnancy.

Breast cancer in young women is more likely to be hereditary. That makes sense - if you've inherited a gene mutation and you will only need one or two more mutations to get cancer, you're one step closer and you're likely to get there faster, whereas if you "acquire" breast cancer, you still need to get all the genetic mutations. That doesn't work all the time. Like older women, the majority of younger women with breast cancer have no family history. Nevertheless, if you have breast cancer in your family you are more likely to get it at a younger age than if you don't.

Overall, there is no evidence that breast cancer under 35 matched for prognostic features is any more aggressive than a cancer in an older woman. Younger women do, on the other hand, have a higher incidence of poor prognostic features. Still, a young woman and an older woman with the same tumors will have the same general prognosis.

In recent years, much research has been done on ways to prevent breast cancer and other disease. Much of the research has focused on green tea, which has been shown in many studies to have cancer preventing qualities. So much research has been done, in fact, that Japan’s medical community now calls green tea a known cancer preventative, and other medical communities are expected to follow suit.

One recent study, however, suggests that herbal teas may be effective in preventing breast cancer, too. The UK Tea Council reported on a study conducted on over 4000 French women with no history of cancer. The women were studied over a 6 year period, and received a mammogram and other cancer screening tests every two years during the period. In addition, the women were evaluated based on the particular beverages they consumed, including herbal tea, regular tea, coffee, fruit juices and wine.

By the end of the six year period, 95 of the participants had developed breast cancer. However, the study could not find any link between any of the beverages consumed and an increased risk of breast cancer. Surprisingly, however, they did find that the women that consumed herbal teas had a slightly lower risk of developing breast cancer than those women who consumed other beverages.

Herbal tea, of course, is not really tea at all. Rather herbal teas, also known as tisanes, are really infusions of one or more herbs. They are made with hot water and taken like tea, hence the name; but true herbal teas contain no leaves from the Camilla sinensis plant, the tea tree. However, herbal teas can have many useful purposes, and are used to treat many discomforts naturally.

Just as they are thought to have discovered traditional tea, it is believed that the Chinese discovered herbal teas, too. Herbs were widely used in ancient medicines, and the Chinese, were the first to combine the healing properties of herbs with the enjoyment of tea. Brewing a tea from the correct combination of herbs may simply have been the easiest way to administer the medicine.

Herbal teas were not widely used in the Western world until the last 20 years, though Asian cultures have continued to use them in conjunction with modern medicine. However, in the last few years, herbs have become popular in the rest of the world for relaxation and as alternative medical treatments.

Statistics show that today consumers spend about $120 million on herbal teas at major supermarkets, and that figure is growing at a rate of about 10% per year. So, you can see that herbal teas make up a significant portion of the beverages consumed in the Western world. Most people who drink herbal teas buy commercially produced loose teas or tea bags. And, this is considered the safest way to consume herbal teas. Making your own brew from plants you’ve picked in the wild is risky, at best.

If you’re taking prescription medication, be sure to consult with your doctor before making herbal teas part of your regular routine. Some herbs have been known to have interactions with medications. But, as long as your doctor approves, there’s no reason to avoid herbal teas, whether for health protection or just for pleasure.

There are dozens of different types of herbal teas available. In fact, one of the pieces of information not noted in the study mentioned above was what kind of herbal teas the study participants drank. But, if you’re interested in trying them, here are some of the most popular varieties.

Rooibos - This is an herbal tea whose base is the South African Rooibos herb –it’s often referred to as red tea. You’ll find this tea delicious and sweet on its own, but it can also be found flavored with other fruits.

Yerba Mate Herbal Tea – This tea is made from the South American herb Yerba Mate. It is very healthy; full of anti-oxidants and vitamins and is said to give energy.

Chamomile – This is a traditional herbal tea made from the chamomile plant. Chamomile has been used for centuries to induce sleep and relieve upset stomachs.

Ginger Tea – Spicy ginger has been used for centuries to make tea. It’s delicious and also highly regarded as a treatment for nausea. Ginger tea is an especially good natural treatment for morning sickness.

Lavender Tea – Tea made from the lavender plant has been used for many years to help calm the soul and induce sleep. A weak brew of lavender can be used to calm a colicky baby, too.

Herbal teas can be a wonderful addition to your diet. They can be used to treat minor ailments and provide a feeling of calm. And, now that there’s evidence that herbal teas may help prevent breast cancer, they can become part of your regular health protecting routine.

Protecting yourself from cancer includes living an overall healthy lifestyle. This includes getting regular exercise, eating a diet that is low in saturated fat and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and not smoking.

Be sure to include the most potent anti-oxidants in your diet too, like those found in blueberries, artichokes, pomegranates and green tea. Following these guidelines and adding a cup or two of herbal tea, as well, can help you protect your health for years to come.

We all know that doctors are busy, pulled in many directions and pressed for time. As a breast cancer patient, when you are dealing with people you might otherwise find intimidating, you may be a bit reluctant to make demands. But remember, they are people just like you and you can bet they'd want someone to pay close attention if you were in their shoes. Never lose sight of this fact - and never chose a doctor who has. You should expect doctors to hear you. As a way of showing they are listening and caring, it is not unusual for doctors to pull up a chair and sit face-to-face while discussing your diagnosis and options for treatment of your breast cancer. You need to feel your doctor sees you as a person. If only one of you is talking, there's a problem. You will want to make certain that your doctor not only answers any questions you may have, but also provides you with information that will allow you to make decisions, or know where to look for answers.

Each of us has a comfort level when it comes to facing what will lie ahead in terms of breast surgery, cancer adjuvant therapies, prognosis and possibilities. You may want to know every detail. If this is the case, you should expect the doctor you select to explain tests and procedures you will be undergoing. On the other hand, you should decide in advance how much you really want to know. Some of us need the hard, fast facts of breast cancer; others just want a broad overview; still other want only the information they will need to take their first step. One size does not fit all, so feel free to ask about anything that comes to mind.

Because you may be nervous or frightened - or simply because you may be asking questions that require lengthy or complicated answers - you may want to tape-record conversations with your doctor. Don't be afraid to ask. This is a great way to make sure you aren't missing anything important. It provides you with the opportunity to review what you discussed and also allows you to absorb what was said at your own pace, in your own time. If you run into a doctor who doesn't want to be taped, you should seriously consider whether this is someone you will feel safe and confident with, or if it's time to move on.

In this day and age, it is not uncommon for women with breast cancer to seek out therapies that may be considered outside the realm of Western medicine. A growing number of patients feel they need to approach breast cancer on more than one level. You may try acupuncture, massage, Chinese herbs, vitamins, or many other therapies currently classified alternative or complementary medicine. Your doctor should want to know about these and you will want to pay close attention to reactions when you discuss other therapies you may be trying or want to try. If your doctor dismisses these therapies without evidence that a specific therapy is harmful or ineffective, you may want to leave that doctor and find one who acknowledges that alternative treatments can help you to improve you physical and emotional well-being.

One of the hardest parts about being diagnosed with breast cancer is how to tell your children about it. Generally speaking, the best thing to do is to be honest with them. If they don't hear it from you now, they're bound to find out some other way - they'll overhear a conversation when you assume they're out of the room, or a friend or neighbor will inadvertently say something. And when they hear it that way, in the form of a terrible secret they were never supposed to know, it will be a lot more horrifying for them. By talking about it openly with them, you can demystify it. In addition, if all goes well your children gain an opportunity to learn about survival after breast cancer. Kids need to know they can trust you - you don't want to do anything to violate that trust. It's a two-way communication; remember also to listen to their fears. If you find it difficult to bring up the subject, there are children's books you can get that can give you a place to begin.

How you tell them about your breast cancer diagnosis, of course, will depend on the ages of your children and their own emotional vulnerability. They must be told very directly that they did not cause the cancer by thoughts, words, anger, dreams, wishes, etc. Your children will also be affected in other ways; you may be gone for a few days in the hospital and will need to rest when you come home; you may be getting daily radiation therapy, which will consume a lot of your time and leave you tired and lethargic afterwards. You may be having chemotherapy treatments that make you violently sick and make you lose your hair as well. Your children need to know that the alteration in your behavior and the decrease in your accessibility to them isn't happening because you don't love them or because they've been bad and this is their punishment.

Some surgeons encourage breast cancer patients to bring young children to the examining room with them. It could be very helpful for a daughter in particular to see her mother being examined. If you are being treated with radiation or chemotherapy in a center where your children are permitted to see the treatment areas, it's a good idea to bring them along once or twice a week. The environments aren't intimidating and a child who doesn't know what's happening to you in the hospital can conjure up awful images of what "those people" are doing to mom.

Breast cancer has particularly complex ramifications for a mother and her daughter. Aside from all the normal fears any child has to deal with, a daughter might worry about whether this will happen to her, too. It's not a wholly unfounded fear, since there is a genetic component to breast cancer. You need to reassure your daughter, explain to her that it is not inevitable but as she gets older she should learn about her breasts and be very conscious of the need for monitoring.

Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breast tissue. The primary victims of this type of cancer are females. Statistics show that approximately one out of 11 to 12 women of the Western world are affected by breast cancer. Medical researches have tried aggressively to find a solution to detect the problem earlier or to treat the problem. About 20 percent of the women affected by breast cancer still fall prey to it and eventually die. In fact, breast cancer ranks second in cancer deaths for women.

Most breast cancer starts in the cells that line up the ducts. There are occasions where the cancer cells originate from the lobules, and then spread to other tissues.

Many breast cancer diagnosis starts in the checking of lumps I the breast. Although most cases of lumps are benign, meaning they are not cancerous, but doctors often ask a patient to undergo biopsy to make sure that cells are not malignant. Most of the lumps are caused by cysts. These lumps may cause pain and swelling of the breast accompanied at times by clear or cloudy discharge in the nipple which happens before the menstrual cycle period is about to begin in a woman. The symptoms may lead to the person to seek a medical check-up.

Male Victims

Breast cancer is not limited to women though; male victims are present as well. The breast of both male and female have identical tissues, so a man is also prone to acquiring the cancer. It is believed that females are more prone to men because the breast of a woman constantly goes through growth changing hormones, thus the cells are more exposed to cancerous change.

Breast Cancer Awareness

As more and more people fall ill to breast cancer, the month of October has been deemed as breast cancer month, to commemorate those who passed away from the cancer, the family and friends survived by the deceased. A pink ribbon is the symbol that a person is joining in the commemoration.

Breast cancer is the presence of malignant cancer cells in the breast area of a patient. It is ranked as the second cause of death in females suffering from cancer. There are several treatments available such as surgery; radiation therapy, and systemic therapy.

Surgery

In certain stages of breast cancer, undergoing surgery and removing the lump may be enough to stop the spread of cancer. The process might include taking a larger chunk of the mammary gland, making sure that the affected area and a substantial margin is surgically removed. If the tissue removed is believed not to eliminate all the cancer cells, a follow-up surgery may be required.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is a process where high powered X-rays or gamma rays are used to accurately pinpoint the cancer cells. This method is very effective in eliminating cancer cells that threaten to recur in the body of the patient.

This option is taken usually only after surgery is performed. Radiation therapy is administered to eliminate the chance of the cancer cells to come back again.

Administering this form of treatment usually is done over a long period of five to seven weeks, five days a week for about 15 minutes per session. Radiation therapy cannot be a one-time thing because by proceeding with the treatment, normal healthy cells are also damaged during the process. Unlike cancer cells, healthy cells can repair themselves, and by limiting the dosage taken by the body per session, it allows the body to heal the damaged cells.

Some side-effects that come from radiation therapy are: fatigue due to the body’s repairing of the cells; reddening of the skin; muscle stiffness; mild swelling; tenderness in the treated area; long term shrinking of the irradiated breast.

Systemic Therapy

There are three types of systemic therapy: chemotherapy; hormonal treatment; and immune treatment.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy can be administered before and after the surgery. It is used to shrink the size of the tumor and also to stop it from recurring again.

Hormonal Treatment

Patients that are positive for estrogen receptor tumors are advised to receive hormonal treatment after going through chemotherapy.

Immune Treatment

Usually immune treatment are only administered to patients who have metastasized diseases, but lately studies have shown that patients in the early stages of breast cancer will have significant benefits by getting this treatment.

Breast cancer is very common in women. In fact, it is the second leading cause of death for women with cancer. There are three times more cases of breast cancer than any of the other gynecological cancers put together. Cases of breast cancer have increased from one out of 20 women, to one out of every seven women who have acquired the disease. This disease is not exclusive for females alone. Statistics show that out of 100 women having breast cancer, there will be one male patient developing this kind of cancer.

Age

A girl who starts having her menstrual cycle before the age of 12, or a woman who starts going through menopause after 50 years old are at higher risk of developing breast cancer.

Nationality

Studies have shown that certain racial groups such as European and African women tend to have higher risk of breast cancer compared to Asian women. However, studies also show inconsistencies in this theory since the statistics change once geography is included in the study, since an Asian women living in a western country showed the same risk as the original inhabitants.

Diet

High consumption of corn oil, oil secreted by meat, and polyunsaturated fats increase the risk of person acquiring breast cancer. Monounsaturated fats like canola oil and olive oil promote better heath.

Heredity

Though there is no available proof suggesting the breast cancer is linked to heredity in any way, it is still believe that patients who have a family history of breast cancer are at higher risk of acquiring breast cancer.

Alcohol

Researches showed that women taking more alcohol have 6% increased risk of getting the cancer as compared to those who do not, or consume moderately.

Hormones

A test was conducted in June 2005 where findings noted that women taking hormonal drugs, like medical estrogen, have a higher risk of acquiring breast cancer.

Other

Other factors believe to be risk factors include not having a child, or delayed first childbirth, or not breastfeeding.

IT was with a heavy heart that I left my favorite lingerer store, Victory’s Secret. It slowly sunk in that I would never again be able to wear their lovely bras. I could not have foreseen on that gloomy day that approximately one year later I would submit a proposal suggesting some innovative ways, or at least I thought so, to create fun, colorful, sexy bras designed especially for older women minus one breast. They declined the offer; nevertheless it was fun dreaming about those pretty bras in my mind’s eye. Back to that gloomy day. As I downcastedly walked toward Macy’s department store to have a look at their hats, I pondered my apparent lack of emotions since my cancer diagnoses as not one tear had yet to fall. Not when I first received the cancer diagnoses, nor during or after the lumpectomy nor the more serious second diagnoses.

Additional cancer was found during the lumpectomy and a mastectomy was highly recommended. First however, there would be more tests. For example, a nuclear bone scan plus a devise called a portacath would be surgericly inserted under the skin in my chest to accommodate the chemotherapy infusion treatments thereby protecting the small unreliable veins in my arms. These procedures would be followed by chemotherapy and radiation treatments. So on this particular day, while trying on hats, endeavoring to distract myself from my imagined future of being relegated to the ugly bra syndrome, a brief but delightful encounter with a perfect stranger occurred.

As I was halfheartedly trying on about the tenth hat, I heard a very soft voice say “why you look beautiful in that hat”. To my astonishment I found myself blubbering that in a few more weeks I would be totally bald resulting from chemotherapy treatments. Without a moments hesitation she stepped close to me and pulled me into her arms. I broke down and sobbed tears that evidently were waiting for just the right moment and just the right arms. Looking back on the experience, I am quite sure that she was a strategically planted angel.

Copyright©2006 Dawn D. Novotny LMSW, E-mail july4@tenforward.com

Dawn DeLisa Novotny LMSW, MTS, CDP, CP is a clinician and teacher in private practice in Washingtion State since 1987. She was an Adjunct professor at Settle University and past instructor at her local community college. She specializes in workshops and retreats and has presented at several professional workshops. Her work focuses on systems theory both the "external" (family, cultural, roles) as well as the "internal" (parts, ego states or internal conflicts). As a clinical practicioner, Dawn utilizes a variety of action methods drawing from her advanced training in psychodrama, sociometry, group therapy and The Internal Family Systems model. She holds Masters degrees in Clinical Social Work and Theology and is State certified in addictions. Additionally, being a cancer surviver/thriver adds yet another positive dimention to her life experience.

Whenever breast cancer first develops, there could be no symptoms, and sometimes the only detectable signs come when the cancer has grown to an uncontrollable size.

Difficulty

A method to determine if a person has breast cancer is to check for lumps. It can be difficult to verify if a lump is due to breast cancer, because a woman breast tends to feel lumpy and tender before she undergoes her monthly menstrual cycle. Experiencing pain in the breast does not necessarily mean that a person has breast cancer as well. Benign cancer cells may cause pain, but they are not life threatening. The best way to determine if there is a condition is to consult a doctor.

Warnings

Signs to look for personal protection from breast cancer are: if there is a sudden change in sensation in the nipple; check for the tenderness of the nipple; if there is a sudden change in the appearance of the breast or the nipple; if the nipple turned inward into the breast; if you notice a lump on the breast or in the underarm area; if the skin on the breast, areola or nipple becomes red, scaly and swollen, and may appear to look like an orange peel; or if there are fluid discharges or bleeding in the nipple.

Lumps

This is usually the first sign if a person has breast cancer. Whether it is a male or a female patient, he may experience a lump in the breast if he acquires the disease.

Having a lump is not a guarantee that a person does have cancer. 9 out of 10 patients who find lumps in their breast found out that these were benign cells, meaning they are non-lethal cancer cells. Even if the person has inverted nipples, blood stains or fluid discharge from the nipple or rashes, this can all mean other things. The best way to verify the existence of the condition is to seek professional medical opinion.

Do you fear breast cancer? Many women do because it is such a killer! Surprisingly, men are not immune to this disease either.

If you received a diagnosis of breast cancer just 20 years ago, your chances of being a survivor would have been much less than they are today. That's because of the marvelous advance of medical research.

There are a lot more options available now for treating malignant tumors than were available a few years ago. And more and more women are breast cancer survivors today.

But you would like to know what your particular risks are for developing breast cancer, wouldn't you? Although no one knows exactly who is going to get breast cancer, there are risk factors that can be taken into consideration. You can do something about some of these risk factors, and other risk factors there's not much you can do about. -- except to be on your guard.

Here are the risk factors you can control:

1. Obesity

2. Drinking alcoholic beverages

3. Smoking

4. Taking estrogen with progesterone for menopausal symptoms

5. Using birth control pills

6. Lack of exercise

7. Choosing to feed your baby with a bottle instead of breast-feeding.

The following are risk factors over which you have no control:

1. Aging

2. Breast cancer in your immediate family

3. Starting your periods before the age of 12

4. Passing through menopause after the age of 50

So as you can see, there are risks you can do something about and risks that you can't do anything about. So why not start with what you can do? For example, choose to eat healthy foods instead of junk food. Stay away from alcoholic beverages and smoking. Exercise regularly.

For the risks you can do nothing about, you can use preventative measures. If your mother or and or another close relative had breast cancer, try to remember to schedule a yearly mammogram. And have a doctor examine your breasts once a year. Learn how to do breast exams once a month yourself and be faithful about checking your breasts on a regular basis.

To even more accurately assess your personal risk for developing breast cancer, you can take a test that will let you know if you carry a mutated gene related to breast cancer.

Why not choose to reduce your risk factors by doing all you can to protect yourself from this deadly disease?

One day shortly after I had a mastectomy, I was talking with friends about how swimming was helping the range of motion in my arm which had been compromised by the surgery incision. All of a sudden and with great sincerity a women said to me “how do you swim with only one breast”? Knowing full well what she meant I chose to tease her by responding with “Well, I just swim with the one that is left”. What she was really asking was; how do you fill out the other side of your bathing suit with a missing breast? It was/is a really great question and one that is not easily answerable. You see, if one has had a mastectomy and has chosen to wear prosthesis, then one is faced with several new challenges.

For example, the “everyday” prosthesis that I bought cost $300.00 and is not pool friendly. Evidently, the pool chemicals would destroy the “breast”. So, it cost another $100.00 to buy a pool friendly “breast”. That would have been irritating enough but I am here to tell that that sucker must weigh 10 lbs not to mention how weird it looks when I am floating on my back. As nature takes its course with my very-own-god-given-still-attached breast, which only s-e-e-m-e-s to disappear when I am lazily floating on my back, the hard shinning new chemically friendly 10 pound boob sticks straight up for all the world to see. To say that I looked lopsided, while floating on my back, would be a kind understatement. Consequently, I am endeavoring to learn the unique art of face down floating. While I am in training for that feat, I thought that I would share a much simpler solution with those of you who understand the implicit ironies of this situation.

There is a product called Water Push Up Pads which cost approximately $5.56 for a package of two and can be purchased at local stores such at K-Mart or Wal-Mart. They come in sizes A-B or B-C. Not a problem if they are not large enough for you, simply turn one A-B or B-C facing up and one facing down then stitch them together and viola you have a “no-breast” bobble or boobble (Boob + Bobble) that is inexpensive, lasts a long time, is chemical friendly (or at least they do not readily fall apart), may be purchased in any city should you forget yours while away from home and/or buy several at this price.

These inserts look much more natural in a swim suite than does the expensive, not readily available, strange looking ten pounder. See, I keep telling you, it’s not the mastectomy that is problematic; it’s the lack of “no breast bobbles” and information thereof. Oh yes, and please do not attempt the floating face down exercise, it scares the life guards.

If you have loved ones or friends that have survived breast cancer, it’s time for celebration. Your friend or loved one has been through a very stressful time and lots of procedures. And no matter which procedure they had, they must be emotionally and physically drained. It’s time to let them know you are celebrating with them and will do whatever it takes to make them feel whole again. One of the best gifts you can offer is the gift of yourself: be there for then when they are happy and energetic, as well as when they feel tired and lonely. Here are a few ideas for those times full of optimism and stamina:

* go together for a shopping trip, and buy a little something that will make your friend feel beautiful
* have a cup of coffee together at a coffee shop, away from home
* take walk in the park to enjoy nature again: a cool breeze of fresh air, the nice colors of fall, and even the kids playing on the swing sets

For those days when your friend is tired and doesn’t feel like doing much, give her one of the following gifts:

* a nice book to read
* a music CD/DVD
* a journal, so she can jot down her feelings
* a spa gift certificate: getting a massage not only feels good, but it helps the mind and body to concentrate on healing and reduces stress. If you can, give her the gift of a monthly massage that will rejuvenate her month after month.

And don’t forget to give yourself a gift too: the gift of health. Make sure you take care of your own body, by living a healthy life, resting and eating nourishing food. And get a mammogram this year: be pro-active!

Many women all over the world fear breast cancer. It is a killer! It is one of the leading causes of death for women and even men are not immune.

Not that long ago a diagnosis of breast cancer would have been like receiving a death sentence! That's because it was often fatal. However, things are different today because of the amazing advances in medical science in the area of breast cancer research.

For example, a lot more treatments are available to you today than were available 20 years ago. And many women are survivors of this dreaded disease.

Do you know your personal risk factor for developing breast cancer?

It's obvious that just because you're a woman you are more at risk than a man would be. As you age, your risks increase. But you can't really change that. Your genetic makeup is another risk factor. If breast cancer claimed your mother, that increases your risks as well. If you had another close family member who developed breast cancer that also increases your risk of developing it yourself. The age that you had your first menstrual period also affects your risk factor. If you started menstruating before the age of 12, your risk increases. If you passed through menopause after the age of 50, that also increases your risk.

There is a test available now that you can take to see if you carry a mutated gene related to breast cancer.

If you have menopausal symptoms and you are taking estrogen with progesterone, that will increase your risk of developing breast cancer by a small percent. Taking birth control pills is another factor in slightly increasing your risk of having this disease. Your risks will increase if you drink alcoholic beverages and smoke. Obesity may lead to breast cancer as well. You will increase your risks if you seldom exercise. Those who have never breast fed their babies have an increased risk too.

Surprisingly, even men can suffer from breast cancer. And no one really knows who will be its next victim.

As you have seen in this article, there are some risks that you have control over, while there are other risks over which you have no control.

Here are some risks that you can control. Choose healthy habits like regular exercise and watching your weight. Avoid alcoholic beverages as much as possible and don't smoke.

If your genetic background is a risk factor for you, be sure to have regular mammograms and breast examinations by your doctor. You ought to examine your own breasts every month too.

Now that you know a little more about what your own personal risk factors for breast cancer are, you can choose healthy habits to protect yourself. And don't forget to schedule regular examinations by your doctor and examine your breasts yourself once a month. Be sure to include a yearly mammogram for your protection from breast cancer.

As many doctors will tell you where most diseases or health issues are concerned, the methods for fighting them is by prevention, being aware and early detection. Therefore if are aware that there is a history in your family of heart problems and cancer then you an advantage over others. Because you know of the risks involved concerning the family history of the disease or health issue involved you can educate yourself on having a healthier lifestyle and what factors in the environment could be contributing to you becoming a higher risk. Certainly with the issue regarding breast cancer this is no different, in fact awareness and knowledge are the strongest you will have in not only detecting the disease early but also beating it.

If you were able to detect breast cancer early enough, you will find that it can often be treated more effectively. In fact the five year survival rate for women who are treated for the early stages of breast cancer is an astounding 96%.

However in its early stage breast cancer does not usually cause the patient any pain and this is why it can be easy for us to recognize it. In fact when breast cancer is in the first developmental stages there are often no symptoms which make it easily identifiable, and it is only as the cancer grows that the changes will begin which should be watch for and be aware of.

So how do you go about detecting the signs and symptoms (changes):-

One of the first signs you may notice is a new or persistent lump or a thickening in or near the breast or possibly in the underarm area. The size or shape of your breast may change over time. You will discover that there is discharge from either of the nipples that had not occurred before. There will be a change in colour or feel of your breast, areola or nipples, which may consist of dimpling, puckering or a scaliness of the skin.

By carrying out regular self breast examination you should be able to detect any one of this signs or symptoms and if you find something that you feel is abnormal then arrange an appointment to see your doctor. There is nothing wrong in being cautious where this disease is concerned. Just remember that most abnormalities that you find are not cancerous and are more likely to be cysts or a growth of fatty tissue and this can be quickly and painlessly dealt with. I’m sure that not only your doctor but you and your family will be pleased that you are erring on the side of caution, rather than ignoring something that can become more serious later on.

Certainly in this day and age nearly every worthy cause uses a ribbon and certainly without going in to too much detail and they way in which people use them, the ribbon which I feel is more important than most is the breast cancer ribbon.

Many women will agree that breast cancer is an enemy to any woman and although awareness concerning the risks and understanding the preventive measures that need to be taken on a regular basis has increased over the last few years, and which has probably saved many lives, there are some people who are still not aware of the dangers of breast cancer and there are many others who prefer to live in denial of it happening to them.

There it is important for more women to take up the pink ribbon and join in the fight against breast cancer. Firstly and the most important thing is that it shows that you care and that you are willing to give a little of your time or energy to try and educate more women as well as warn others and then just may be by carrying out this one small action you are contributing to saving the life of someone. Certainly this is not a joke, and it is only sometimes awareness that separates the ill from the healthy and those that live or die. We are now at a stage where people are learning of new dangers all the time and now with the potential dangers arising relating to terrorism and natural disasters, breast cancer although it has been around for such a long time and has caused so much grief and pain it certainly deserves to be treated with a little more respect and should be remembered even on a daily basis. So by wearing the pink ribbon you will be doing this.

Now every October across the globe this has been international breast cancer awareness month and it is at this time when we should try and do our utmost to increase the general public’s awareness of the disease and so educate more women in the ways of fighting breast cancer. Also during the month time is dedicating to raising money for the many different organizations and foundations that are working through the year on helping the many victims of the disease. There are many patients who do not have the money or funds to be able to try and treat the disease and it is with the help of the organizations that money is raised for they can provide them with the support that they need.

So when October next comes around all you need to do is purchase one of these pink ribbons and place it on your shirt or jacket and show your solidarity for those patients who are presently dealing with the disease, those that have become victims of the disease and those members of a victims family or their friends who find that they have been effected by this dreadful disease. But you don’t have to limit yourself to wearing it just during the month of October as it only takes one person to ask you about it and just think what a difference this will make over the term of a year, and if liked minded people do the same across the world every day and each person is approached by someone who has no knowledge of what it means, imagine the number of lives that could be saved or spared.

So hopefully that in the future the fight against breast cancer as is the same with the fight against all forms of cancer will achieve the goal it is striving to reach and will end up claiming less victims. Also that it will help modern medicine and science to discover a cure and that even more and more people across the globe will live happier and healthier lives.

Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare cancer that happens in a very small percentage of women. It is an aggressive type of locally advanced cancer.

In general, women with inflammatory breast cancer are diagnosed at a younger age. In extremely rare circumstances, this form of breast cancer is diagnosed in men. Inflammatory breast cancer usually develops as a sheet rather than a lump.

Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include:

Breast becomes red, purple, pink or bruised;
Breast becomes firm and enlarged;
A warm feeling in the breast;
Itching of the breast;
Pain;
Skin texture similar to an orange peel;
Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm;
Flattening of the nipple;
Swollen skin on the nipple;
Change in color of the skin around the nipple.

It is very easy to mix up the symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer with those of a breast infection. If you become aware of any of the signs of inflammatory breast cancer, see your doctor immediately.

This form of cancer is not caused by an inflammation or infection. Inflammatory breast cancer happens when cancer cells clog the lymphatic vessels in the skin overlying the breast.

In the past, inflammatory breast cancer was treated by surgery and was associated with a 100% mortality rate. Fortunately, major progress has been made in recent years using a combination of treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

These treatments have greatly improved the prognosis for a woman with inflammatory breast cancer. Recent studies have shown as much as a 50% survival rate after 5 years and a 35% survival rate after 10 years.

Did you know that men can also have breast cancer? Be surprised and amazed but it is a matter of fact. Men, just like women, can also develop cancer cells in their breasts. Only, the chances of men having one is much lower than that of women's. Moreover, the reason most people, even most men themselves, think that breast cancer is only for women is the very low incidence or recorded cases of male breast cancer. In America, male breast cancer accounts for only 1 percent of cases of breast cancer, and represents about 0.2% of all malignancies in men. This figure is far from tens of thousands of cases for women each year. In 2005, roughly 1,690 cases of male breast cancer were recorded in the United States, 460 of which led to death.

The principle behind male breast cancer is not that hard to understand. Basically, what happens when a woman develops a breast cancer is largely the same event leading to a breast cancer for men. What probably confuses people is the word "breast" for it has always been associated with femininity and seldom, if ever, with masculinity. So for both men and women startled with the idea of male breast cancer, the first thing to do is to understand cancer in itself, independent of gender.

Cancer, as most people already know, is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells. As these cancer cells increase in number, they form masses of tissues that the body does not need-- tumor. If the growth is greatly uncontrollable, damages in the health system occur and can even lead to death, if not attended immediately and properly. The process of developing cancer cells can happen in the different parts of the body-- men's breasts included.

At the onset of physiological development in men, male hormones (such as testosterone) produced by the testes deters the growth of breast tissue and the development of lobules. The male breast is made up of predominantly small, undeveloped ducts and a small amount of fat and connective tissue, unlike that of women's breasts. Male breast cancer happens when there is an uncontrollable growth of the small amount of non-functioning breast tissues. These breast tissues do not produce milk and are found in the area directly behind the nipple, on the chest wall.

Just like in women, the causes of male breast cancer are still unknown even to this date. What are identified by years of studies and researches are just the risk factors for developing male breast cancer. The first contributing factor is exposure to radiation. Exposure to ionizing radiation or radiation therapy for previous illnesses is identified as a factor that triggers growth of breast tissues. Hyperestrogenism is also a risk factor. From the word itself, there is an overproduction of the female hormone estrogen in a man's body. Men, by nature, really have estrogen in their bodies. But when the amount increases beyond what the body needs, chances of developing a breast cancer also increase. Actually, majority of male breast cancer cases is attributed to this risk factor. Men with Klinefelter's syndrome (abnormal sex chromosome) and cirrhosis are likely to develop breast cancer because of stimulated estrogen production. Genetics also play a great role. Men with female relatives who had breast cancer are at greater risks of developing breast cancer.

Male breast cancer has different types, most common of which is the infiltrating ductal carcinoma. This is the breast cancer type when the cancer started from the tubular ducts and has spread to the surrounding area. Opposite of this is ductal carcinoma in situ, the second type. The others are Paget's disease (affecting the skin of the nipple), papillary carcinoma, inflammatory carcinoma, and medulla carcinoma. Symptoms of breast cancer include the presence of a lump (usually right beneath the nipple), nipple discharge (more likely to happen in men than women), nipple retraction, and skin ulceration. In advanced cases, symptoms like malaise, weight loss, and weakness are commonly present.

Like breast cancer in women, male breast cancer is commonly treated with mastectomy. Mastectomy is a surgery which removes the lining over the chest muscles and portions of the axillary lymph nodes. This then is followed by adjuvant therapies like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy. The combination of possible treatments is defined and administered by medical experts based on the patient's cancer stage and overall health condition.

The National Cancer Institute has made it clear that in order to mitigate the damages of male breast cancer, and all cancers at that, early detection is a must. This then should send a message to all men that it is high time for them to recognize that their breasts may be at risk, too. Being aware of their health will not make them lesser of a man but more of a complete man (with no breast missing), actually.

It was 7:20 Monday morning and I was so relieved to see that Mike, the radiation therapist, was already there preparing the radiation room. One more time I made my way through the huge ominous door averting my eyes from the large red letters that read “DANGER- DO NOT ENTER”. I headed for the cold steel table upon which I was instructed to lie perfectly still so that the radiation therapist could line up the diagnostic x-ray machine with the tiny permanent ink dots that had been tattooed on my chest. This process allows for more precision in the delivery of the radiation thereby causing less damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.

Mike, with his usual calm, laid back manner always seemed to emit a quiet, confident, competent strength. He was humorous and attentive but, at first glance, I would not have called him sensitive. As I was to find out, Mike did not miss a thing. He could not have known that I failed all 4 years of high school PE because I would not undress for showers. Nor could he have known that at age seven I elected to have the entire series of rabbi shots administered into my back vs. the normal administration to the stomach. Bearing my stomach elicited intolerable feelings of vulnerablity . Like radar, Mike picked up on my fear even though I tried my hardest to appear “together”. Truth be told, I was so scared during all 33 threatments that I was grateful to just not drool.

So it was that when the right side of my chest was exposed, it felt exactly like the right side of my back when exposed as both areas are flatter than a pancake. Conversely, when the left side of my chest became inadvertently exposed, I would instantly feel embarrassed, vulnerable and sometimes even ashamed. Most of the technicians’ would endeavor to replace the cover when it fell from the right breast. After awhile it became a tedious task and they were trying to get their job done as efficiently as possible because their waiting room was filled with weary women wearing but a thin hospital gowns patiently awaiting their turn to proceed through the “DANGER DO NOT ENTER” room.

I never understood how it happened but by some mysterious cue, if my breast became exposed, Mike was back in the room as if he had some good reason to be there. He would nonchalantly put the cover back on my exposed breast. Once again my “back” was covered, my childhood monsters were soothed and I could breath again. As quick as Mike appeared he would disappear closing behind him the door that read “DANGER DO NOT ENTER”.

Of all the ways and means of extending appreciation and gratitude, thanking someone for keeping those intangable feelings of vulnerability and dignity intact, is among the most difficult to express. Nevertheless, in my book he exemplifies the very essence of professionalism and compassion effortlessly and without even a hint of solicitation of praise. Thank You, Mr. Mike and the entire staff at Olympic Medical Cancer Center.

You'll find a variety of stores to be host to a vast selection of awareness jewelry. Some of the most popular items in the collection are those designed to increase breast cancer awareness. Items like bracelets, necklaces, cookies, lollipops are now available to show support. A Breast Cancer Awareness Pin is an excellent example. A sophisticated and elegant lapel pin featuring dozens of beautiful pink Swarovski crystals, the purchase of this item is an excellent way to show your support.

The Breast Cancer Loop is another very popular piece of awareness jewelry. The great thing about this product is its versatility. It can be used as a purse or briefcase charm as well as an ornament for the car, diaper bag or even Christmas tree. Featuring handsome pink and clear Swarovski crystals and a Bali silver awareness ribbon, this tiny bracelet is as practical as it is beautiful.

You will still find, however, the Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelet to be the most popular. Featuring sterling silver, pink Swarovski crystals and delicate pearls, bracelets are ideal for the individual who wants to keep the cause close to her heart. Many bracelets include ribbon charms in silver, pink or crystals.

So, whether you are wearing a bracelet to show your support this year or sending of some delicious snacks or treats to a family, friend or loved one, be sure to think pink and help spread the word.

Cancer of breast tissue is breast cancer. It is a highly common and fatal cancer in females. Breast cancer can affect males too, as their un grown breast is composed of identical tissues as females. The incidence is less than one percent.

History of breast cancer can be traced back to 1600 B.C. it is considered as one of the oldest known tumors. In Papyrus writing tumors or ulcers of the breast and its cure were mentioned. For very long time there was no cure for the condition. Then in 1749-1806 the Scottish surgeon Benjamin Bell and the French surgeon Jean Louis Petit were the first one to remove the affected breast tissue, and underlying chest muscle.

The first work on the cause of breast cancer was done by Janet Lane-Claypon. The major cause was attributed to damaged or mutated DNA. The reason stated for the same may be due to exposure to ionizing radiation, exposure to estrogens and repaired BRCA1, BRCA2 and p53 genes. Though these causes are stated for the onset of cancer but the underlying factor is not yet proved.

Other causes which are responsible for breast cancer are: Aging - Due to aging the cell no longer are healthier and some un grown calls can develop in to tumors. Previous history of breast cancer- Previous occurrence increases the risk of developing breast cancer again. Family history of breast cancer- patients sister, mother, close female relative had diagnosed for breast cancer. When their female relative developed their first cancer before the age of 50. Late menopause, Early menarchy, Women with dense breast tissue due to dense breast tissues, the fat ratio decreases. This results in more breast cells and the connective tissues.

So they have high chances of developing breast cancer. Alcohol and smoking, Gaining too much weight after menopause. What ever may be the case if you had developed breast cancer or have a high risk for developing breast cancer, first thing is do not panic! Things will come to your control when you have the confidence in you. Each woman has the capacity to deal with it differently. There are many tests like An annual clinical breast examination, Monthly breast examination, Annual mammogram, to detect the condition in each and every woman.

Science and technology has improved so much that treatment for all problems pop up every minute. But always remember there is life after its diagnosis. We hold lot of hope than ever in the age we live in.

Life-threatening malignancies in one or both breasts is termed as breast cancer. Breast cancer can be both noninvasive, the one that does not spread and invasive which has high chances of spreading.

Ductal carcinoma and Lobular carcinoma are both noninvasive, if left untreated it can develop in to invasive. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma and Infiltrating lobular carcinoma which spreads in the wall of the duct and the wall of a lobules respectively.

History of breast cancer can be traced back to 1600 B.C. it is considered as one of the oldest known tumors. In Papyrus writing tumors or ulcers of the breast and its cure were mentioned. For very long time there was no cure for the condition. Then in 1749-1806 the Scottish surgeon Benjamin Bell and the French surgeon Jean Louis Petit were the first one to remove the affected breast tissue, and underlying chest muscle.

There are different stages through which carcinoma of breast occurs. They are:

1. Onset of the carcinogenic cells.

2. Cancer is either 1- 2 inches long and spread to lymph nodes only.

3. Cancer has spread to tissues near the breast.

4. Cancer has spread to other organ of the body.

The ways in which you can kick off the breast cancer are:

1. Surgery: Depending on the stage and onset of the cancer, removal of lymph is necessary to remove the cancer cells. This process is termed as lumpectomy. In advance cases the removal of entire breast will only help the situation and it is termed as mastectomy.

2. Systemic therapy uses medication to treat the damaged cancer cells in the body. Immune therapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy are the types of systemic therapy. Chemotherapy are used before and after surgery. Neo-adjuvant type of chemotherapy is given before surgery for reducing the size of the tumor. Adjuvant chemotherapy is suggested after surgery to reduce the recurrence. Chemotherapy has many side effect. The hormonal treatments include tamoxifen and Aromatase inhibitors are specially given to pre menopausal and postmenopausal women to decrease the level of estrogen in their body.

3. Radiation therapy involves high powered gamma rays or x-rays that precisely work on the target the area that needs treatment. These rays are effective in destroying the cancer cells and prevent recur from the place where the tumor was removed. The main purpose of this therapy is to prevent recur. Radiation therapy is done by linear Accelerator. Radiation therapy is usually done after surgery of breast cancer and an essential treatment for breast conserving therapy.

With all these therapies and self confidence anything and every problem can be chopped off.

There are some signs that may tell you if you have breast cancer. Breast cancer is formed when normal cells divide and multiple in uncontrollable fashion. This causes the development of extra cells which further lump together and create a tumor. Some physical changes may appear in the breast and its surrounding area such as presence of lumps that does not go away, inversion of the nipple, discharge from the breast, and changes to the skin color which overlies the breast.

Bear in mind that most lumps that are found in the breast are not always cancerous. However, you should consult with a doctor to have them checked. Discharge from the breast is also a common problem in women, which does not necessarily lead to a cancer disease. Changes in nipple, which makes it pointing inward, are often temporary and considered normal in some women. Nevertheless, if those conditions become permanent then it should be discussed with your doctor.

Symptoms of breast cancer vary depending on the stage it is in. There is usually no obvious pain or any signs in the early stage of breast cancer. The development of breast cancer can take from a period of months or years. Once the disease is detected, treatment has to be given immediately to avoid the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body, which is known as metastastic spread.

A simple way to check breast cancer is through breast exam. It involves touching and feeling around the breast and under the arms to find any lumps or other abnormalities. The exam is usually conducted by a female doctor. Another common test for signs for breast cancer is called mammography exam. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast that will show any abnormal growth of tissues.

Breast cancer is one of the lethal diseases for women of all ages. There are several factor risks that can increase the chance of having the disease. Study has shown that women in the age group above 50 are more likely to have breast cancer than that of below 30. Menstrual cycle also partly contributes to the risk for breast cancer. The risk is getting bigger for women who have early menstrual and late menopause. Breast cancer is also more frequently developed in spinsters and married woman that have not given birth to children or those who have given birth but then have not breast fed their offspring. Some other factors include diet, radiation from the environment, genetics, and lifestyle.

Women should focus on keeping breast health through good lifestyle and dietary choices.Here are eight ways to help you prevent breast cancer. They are supported with many researches and studies. You should embark them all if possible.

1. You should be more active. A recent Norwegian study discovered that women who exercised on a regular basis cut their breast cancer risk by 72 percent.

2. You should eat more unrefined seed foods. They all contain phytoestrogens. If you eat foods rich in these elements, you are 4 times less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. You should consume whole grains, beans, nuts, edible seeds, fruits and vegetables with their seeds.

3. You should eat less vegetable oil and increase the consumption of animal fat and dairy products. Consume yogurt, cheese, milk, butter, and olive oil on a daily basis, and eat meat from time to time.

4. You should eat less tofu and soy beverage. The isoflavone found in soy causes breast cancer cells to grow rapidly. On the other hand, eat more miso and tamari. Studies have found that they are very effective in preventing cancer.

5. You should eat foods rich in antioxidants. At the same time, avoid supplements of vitamins E and C. It was discovered that supplements increase breast cancer risk. Eat five to seven servings of dark green and bright red/orange foods every day.

6. You should sleep in the dark. Recent studies found out that exposure to light at night increases the risk of breast cancer by at least 36 percent.

7. You should drink red clover blossom infusion. Drink a quart of red clover infusion every week.

8. You should eat seaweed as a vegetable. Consume at least a half-cup serving per week. Wakame, kombu, kelp, and alaria are very effective.

If you follow these eight tips you will greatly increase your chances of preventing breast cancer.

In the past, doctors usually felt that it was better for their patients to have limited access to their medical reports. Doctors wanted to interpret the medical jargon because they were worried that their patients might misinterpret and possibly distort the results they were given. However, today, this thinking had changed among most doctors. Every breast cancer patient has the right to read her pathology report, even if it holds bad news. It is important that doctors help their patients understand their bodies so that they can become an active participant in their own healing team

It is important that breast cancer specialists work closely with their breast pathologist to develop and format a report that will provide consistent and relevant information. When a second opinion is sought, it is important to review a patient's cancer tissue along with the original pathology report, which includes a description of the tissue received in the laboratory. This is also known as the macroscopic description of the cancer tissue.

It should be noted that only the original pathologist has the opportunity to view and describe the original piece of tumor. After this description is completed, the tumor is sliced into smaller pieces to make slices for further microscopic examination of the tumor. While subsequent doctors can review the slides, they must still rely on the original description of the tumor itself. It is essential for this description to accompany the slides for an accurate second opinion; it is important to the treatment plan that doctors will come up and present to breast cancer patients.

A breast cancer pathology report may contain the following information:

a preoperative diagnosis;

gross description of the breast cancer tissue and the axillary lymph node tissue; a microscopic description, if it is invasive, a description of the cancer cells; and a final diagnosis, its anatomic localization, size of the specimen and the tumor; cancer stage and grade, presence of microcalcification (calcium depositions in the cancer tissue), nipple involvement and presence of spread to the lymph nodes.

The vast majority of breast cancer originates from the lining cells (epithelium) of the breast duct or the secretory cells at the terminal end of the breast duct. These malignancies are termed carcinomas. A rare variant of breast cancer is known as sarcoma, which involves malignancies of the stromal cells of the breast. The treating oncologist would go over this pathology report and apply the information from the report to the cancer patient. Significant data in addition to this report would be the patient's age, whether or not she has been on previous hormone replacement therapy, her previous medical history and so on.

Reasonable conclusion from a pathology report may be that a breast cancer patient is a good candidate for breast conservation therapy with a low probability for recurrence after radiotherapy. The risk of systemic cancer spread in this particular cancer is approximately 20 percent depending on the degree of lymph node involvement. If the patient is postmenopausal, an antiestrogenic agent, for example, tamoxifen alone or following a regimen of cytotoxic chemotherapy may be a reasonable choice for systemic therapy.

Ductal cancer has a pre-invasive stage known as breast ductal carcinoma in situ. Once the cancer cells invade the basement membrane of the breast and penetrate the underlying supportive tissue, it is then called invasive ductal cancer. These cancers often lead to the formation of fibrous tissue within the breast that shows on a mammogram with stellate structure. Once large enough to be felt on palpation, a lump of this origin is quite firm in relation to the surrounding breast tissue.

Lobular cancer is often termed "infiltrating" lobular cancer because the cancer cells infiltrate the supporting tissue in a linear fashion. Cancer cells appear as interspersed cords among normal breast tissue, making both mammographic diagnosis and detection by palpation more difficult. The association of infiltrating lobular cancer with a change in the terminal lobular units of the breast duct characterized by atypical lobular cells thought to be the pre-invasive phase of infiltrating lobular cancer. This proliferation of cells was called lobular carcinoma in situ and seemed to be similar to ductal carcinoma in situ in invasive ductal cancer. With more studies, it was found that lobular carcinoma in situ was not necessarily a malignant transformation and when found by itself in a breast biopsy, it did not go on to give rise to an infiltrating lobular carcinoma in most cases. Its presence did, however, may lead to believe that the breast tissue was more prone to cancer of both ductal and lobular types and this increased risk was to two to three times the average woman's risk.

Mucinous or colloid breast cancer accounts for five percent or less of breast malignancies. In this type, the cancer cells retain the ability to secrete mucin, a liquid material that accumulates within the cells. This type of cancer has a good prognosis and is not prone to spread to the lymph nodes and blood system.

Papillary breast cancer is quite rare and under microscopic examination of cancer tissue, the cells form patterns that look like fern rods. The invasive form of this type of cancer is well differentiated and has a good prognosis. Since papillary cancers tend to have a central localization in the breast, often behind the nipple, local control without deformity can be difficult.

The inflammatory type of breast cancer involves a high-grade cancer cell of ductal origin that has a high propensity to spread to the lymph vessels, especially those just beneath the skin. Often, there is no mass or lump upon palpation, but swelling and redness is visible resembling an infection - thus the name inflammatory breast cancer. The treatment protocol usually involves a trial of antibiotics without a response followed by a skin biopsy that will reveal cancer cells in the dermal lymph vessels. This type of breast cancer is very aggressive and surgical removal will not be able to control it locally. However, treatment has evolved that has substantially improved the outlook for women with inflammatory breast cancer. Chemotherapy given as an initial treatment often dramatically changes the breast to a normal appearance, then making local control with surgery and radiotherapy feasible.

There are very, very rare malignancies of the breast that originate form the lymph (lymphoma), or from fat (liposarcoma), or from the skin or its glands. These account for less than a fraction of one percent of all breast cancers.

Today, the majority of breast cancers are diagnosed by mammography. There cancers are small, often too small to be felt and surgeons usually rely on radiologists to localize these small cancers with a hook wire or some injected dye. The technology has changed drastically and we have entered a new era of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Because of the many elements that come into play in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, coordination is necessary among the team of physicians: surgeon, radiation oncologist, cancer pathologist, plastic surgeon, radiologist and medical oncologist.

Ideally, a woman with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer communicates with a primary physician who takes charge of developing a treatment plan with her and then coordinates its implementation. These team members can work at a single institution or be drawn from a wider geographic distribution and any of the cancer specialists can act as the coordinating physician. Often, it is the medical oncologist who coordinates the flow of information and treatment for the patient, but many surgeons and radiation oncologists take on this pivotal role as well.

It is important that breast cancer patients find a cancer specialist that she can communicate with and who will address her concerns. However, there are medical systems in which it may be difficult for the patient to connect with one physician who will act as her coordinating team leader. If you are in this situation, don't despair. You just need adequate information to get you the treatment you need and be your own team leader. It is possible to go through this process without a physician to spearhead your treatment plan and still get high quality health care.

The overall treatment plan revolves around two critical decisions. One deals with local control and the second with the need for systemic therapy. Often, cancer patients and their doctors cannot decide upon the issue of systemic therapy until all the information is available from the surgical procedure.

Since the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are done primarily on an outpatient basis, cancer patients may travel to various locations for different aspects of treatment. Some women may come to a breast cancer facility for the definitive surgery and then have radiotherapy at a facility closer to their home. If patients require various therapies, it is important to consider doing something similar in order to make treatment appointments as convenient as possible.

One of the key tools used in coordinating a woman's care is a treatment planning conference. This conference is a meeting of treatment team members to discuss the patient's case and to develop a coordinated treatment plan based on the patient's situation. The conference allows each of the team members to view a common history, the radiological breast images, the pathology report and pathology images. The patient is usually excluded from the treatment planning conference in order to allow an honest exchange of opinions between the team members. The treatment planning conference is very important in coordinating care. Each of the potentially treating physicians can, in one setting, agree on an overall treatment plan and their particular contribution to that plan. This united approach also guarantees that the physicians line up the sequencing of the different therapies correctly and in the manner that is most beneficial to the cancer patient.

Besides benefiting the woman with breast cancer, the nature of the conference itself promotes education and understanding on the part of various physicians involved. Women diagnosed in the future stand to benefit greatly from the shared pool of information that these conferences provide medical professionals in general.