Radiation therapy, which destroys cancerous cells, is probably the biggest single treatment method of cancer in the world today. Sufferers of breast cancer can actually be free of cancer after receiving radiation treatment. Radiation therapy can be given alone or as part of a sequence of treatments such as chemotherapy or operational surgery.

It is vitally important as a patient to understand radiation therapy, the uses it has, the side effects it can cause and what will happen after treatment.

All cells, either cancerous or healthy, continually split to make new cells. Cancerous cells go through this process significantly quicker than normal cells which allows the disease to spread.

Radiation therapy involves the accurate delivery of high energy particles or waves in large doses to the cancerous cells to stop them multiplying by causing irreversible damage to them. The radiation breaks a strand within the DNA molecule inside cancerous cells to prevent growth. This will have an effect on healthy surrounding cells but these seem to fully recover from the effects of radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is different in that the whole body is exposed to agents that fight cancers whereas radiation therapy can be performed on a more local area of the body.

As far as side effects go, breast cancer patients can experience several things either during or after treatment. These may include fatigue, difficulty or pain when swallowing, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, coughing, changes in the pigmentation of the skin, swelling or loss of hair in the treated area. Some patients suffer no side effects whatsoever.

After radiation therapy, a patient must undergo fairly extensive follow-up care. This will include regular visits to the Doctor to check the day-to-day progress of the patient as well as managing any problems that arise.

In some cases, medical care being administered before or during radiation therapy will need to continue such as dietary needs, exercise plans or medicine.

Some patients may continue to experience continued discomfort of the skin around the treated area. This must be looked after gently with no tight clothes or dressings worn around it, with the area to be lightly padded dry after washing instead of wiping. Patients should rest often while the body works to build up healthy supplies of skin tissue again.

For patients that continue to experience prolonged period of fatigue, rest should once again be on the agenda and this can last for several months after treatment. Patients that continue to feel pain will need to visit a Doctor who may refer them back to the hospital if it fails to subside.

There is also an emotional price to be paid after having breast cancer and radiation therapy. This can lead to patients suffering from depression, anger, grief, anxiety, stress and many other strong emotional feelings. If these feeling become overbearing, seeking the help of trained mental health care specialists is an absolute necessity.

Recovering from cancer can be a long, tiring, painful and emotionally exhausting experience. However, radiation therapy can frequently kill the cancerous cells on a long-term basis with patients living long, happy and pain-free lives for many years afterward.

To learn much more about the different types of radiation procedures, visit AllAboutRadiationTreatments.com where you'll find this and much more, including the effects of radiation therapy, and breast cancer medication.

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Being diagnosed with breast cancer is the last thing any patient wants to hear. The impacts of breast cancer on someone's life can be devastating. Undoubtedly upon receiving this diagnosis a patient will be immediately swarmed with questions and decisions that may leave them with a sense of uncertainty and confusion. By researching your options in advance and understanding the implications of each type of procedure you can give yourself a much-needed sense of empowerment and security.

The first step to getting a grip on the decisions that any breast cancer patient will face is to understand the treatment options and their advantages. Each kind of procedure will have a set of pros and cons that will better suit different patients. By thoroughly researching these options you can give yourself the most available information to make informed decisions that will benefit you in the long-term.

Firstly, a mastectomy is the most traditional and harsh procedure available for breast cancer patients. The procedure does not involve radiation therapy but consists of the removal of the entire breast tissue. This procedure has the least chance of the cancer returning and tends to be the most thorough option available. It is however a painful and mildly disfiguring surgery.

While many women have opted against a complete mastectomy, they remain a popular choice because of how effective and thorough they are. Additionally, the recovery process is much easier thanks to modern fashion advances offering mastectomy bras in a variety of styles and materials.

The other common procedure choice is a lumpectomy. This procedure consists of the removal of the tissue around the cancerous tumor but spares much of the overall breast tissue. The main fault of the lumpectomy is that it requires radiation therapy after the surgery itself to ensure that all of the cancerous cells are killed.

This kind of a procedure is beast suited for those who have smaller or more isolated tumors in their breast. It is worth noting however that a lumpectomy has a higher chance of the cancer returning in the future than the complete mastectomy. Even with radiation therapy it is possible that the remaining breast tissue may need to be removed at a later date.

With a comprehensive and encompassing understanding of the options available to you, you'll find that you are better able to make these tough decisions with confidence. Understanding these procedures and how they can both help and hurt your lifestyle is important to your wellness and recovery.

Nobody asks to get breast cancer but when this unfortunate illness befalls someone they are forced to decide whether they will be lost in confusion or to rise above their condition. Empower yourself to recover and lead a healthy life with knowledge of breast cancer and its treatments. You owe it to yourself and your family to be strong as you sift through the decisions and trials that face any breast cancer patient and to seize the healthy recovery waiting for you on the other side. Medicare and Medicaid Medical Products are numerous and should a mastectomy be necessary, quality Bras After Mastectomy can be found from many sources.

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According to the June 18th report from the online cancer journal, The Annals of Oncology, the international panel of experts that assembled for the 11th St. Gallen Health Conference in March, proposed a potentially radically different approach when it comes to deciding upon the best treatment options for early breast cancer.

While the panel still agrees that no case of breast cancer is exactly the same and each patient should received personalized care, it has put forward a new, more standardized approach when it comes to assessing disease risks and appropriate treatment strategies.

They go on to suggest that these vital clinical systems must address three distinct questions: "(i) what justifies the use of endocrine therapy, (ii) what justifies the use of anti-HER2 therapy, and (iii) what justifies the use of chemotherapy." This is a change from the traditional method of identifying a single-risk category and then a subsequent and separate therapy recommendation.

Furthermore, the panel gave a new algorithm for clinicians to use when they are attempting to decide what will be the most effective treatment approach for their patient. As one of the members, Professor Richard Gelber of Harvard University said, "We have identified 'thresholds for indication' of each type of systemic treatment modality (endocrine therapy, anti-HER2 therapy, chemotherapy) based on criteria specific to each modality. We expect the refined algorithm to change clinical practice because it clarifies the indications for each treatment modality available today."

The panel's report emphasizes the importance of identifying which type of breast cancer a patient has and which treatment, or combination of treatments, are most likely to be successful. They recommend the increased use of genetic profiling using microarrays as a means for improved identification, especially for the forms that have been more difficult to analyze. Additionally, the panel discussed the importance of conducting extensive clinical trials because they can "provide essential information on the safety and efficacy of treatments."

Yet, while their discussion highlights the importance of standardization from medical professionals, the panel knows who will make the final call. Professor Alan Coates of the University of Sydney expressed how the patients must be at the center of all treatment decisions saying, "We recognize the importance of quality of life, supportive care and patient preference in the treatment decision-making process."

More specific treatment recommendations and further details can be seen in the original Annals of Oncology doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdp322

Susan Hardwicke, Ph.D. is a cognitive psychologist who has pioneered the field of neuro-nutrition. S08-1956.he has recently published an ebook on titled The Chemo Brain Report, which is available through http://www.vabion.com, http://www.healthafterchemo.com, or calling the office at (804) 308-1956.

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Breast Cancer is found to be one of the leading causes of death among Hispanic women and various reports reveal that breast cancers are more aggressive in the Hispanic population. The study of the role of genes and its effect on the activity of drugs began when two distinct reactions were observed on administration of a probe drug within the Hispanic group. While some people were able to metabolize the probe drug, some people developed indications of not being able to metabolize the drug at all. This began the study of the prominent role that genes play in drug metabolism.

CYP2D6 is a group of liver enzymes which have been found to metabolize or break down 25% of all clinically available medications. The CYP2D6 gene located on Chromosome 22 is responsible for the production of this enzyme in our body. A wide spectrum of drugs employed in the treatment of cancer are metabolized by this enzyme. The most relevant medication for breast cancer is Tamoxifen and has been used for many years as an endocrine treatment for hormone-positive breast cancer with indications in the metastatic, adjuvant and preventive settings. The lower level of toxicity in Tamoxifen treatments when compared to chemotherapy helps patients maintain quality of life and delay the use of cytotoxic treatments (causing destruction of cells) for as long as possible.

Tamoxifen is metabolized by the enzyme CYP2D6 and it is converted into its active form called Endoxifen which then acts on the body. However the CYP2D6 gene exhibits variability across population and among various ethnic groups. This results in variations in the levels of CYP2D6 enzyme in the body which leads to the difference in a person's ability to react to the drug, Tamoxifen. Variability ranges from Poor Metabolizers who have zero enzyme levels to Ultra-rapid Metabolizers who have very high levels of the enzyme in the body.

Recent research shows that 5-10% of Hispanic women are Poor Metabolizers. They are characterized by slower metabolism of the drug, due to the absence of adequate quantities of the enzyme. This might result in the build-up of Tamoxifen as the body lacks an efficient mechanism to eliminate the drug. Overall the slower metabolism of Poor Metabolizers may have a cascade effect when multiple concomitant medications that are metabolized by the CYP2D6 enzyme are administered, increasing the potential for Adverse Drug Reactions. Poor Metabolizers may thus be recommended to switch to an alternate method of treatment as they lack the ability to convert Tamoxifen into its active form, Endoxifen. They have been shown to have about three-fold risk of relapse than normal metabolizers.

Ultra-rapid Metabolizers constitute another 5% of the Hispanic population. They are characterized by higher than normal conversion of Tamoxifen to its active form, Endoxifen which results in high therapeutic effect of the drug. Although this population can experience the same benefit from a lower than standard dose of the drug, they face the possibility of serious side effects.

Genetic testing has been recently recommended by the FDA resulting in a label change for Tamoxifen which plays an important role in preventing the recurrence of breast cancer. Accredited DNA testing laboratories like Genelex offer tests on receipt of a physician prescription and delivers secure customized reports on the effect of your genes on the drugs.

Visit http://www.tamoxitest.com for more information on Tamoxifen testing.

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