The words “you have cancer” are frightening and overwhelming. Some people experience feelings of sadness and hopelessness and don’t know whether they can deal with these feelings. It takes an emotional toll on the person diagnosed, as well as everyone close to that person.
Cancer begins in your cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Normally, your body forms new cells as you need them, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes this process goes wrong. New cells grow even when you don’t need them, and old cells don’t die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass called a tumor. Tumors can be benign or malignant. Benign tumors aren’t cancer while malignant ones are. Cells from malignant tumors can invade nearby tissues. They can also break away and spread to other parts of the body.
Most cancers are named for where they start. For example, lung cancer starts in the lung, and breast cancer starts in the breast. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis. Symptoms and treatment depend on the cancer type and how advanced it is. Treatment plans may include surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy.
Though blood and urine tests can help give your doctor clues, other tests are usually necessary to make the diagnosis. For most forms of cancer, a biopsy — a procedure to obtain a sample of suspicious cells for testing — is usually necessary to make a definitive diagnosis.
In some cases, tumor marker levels are monitored over time. Your doctor may schedule follow-up testing in a few months. Cancer blood markers are most helpful after your cancer diagnosis. Your doctor may use these tests to determine whether your cancer is responding to treatment or whether your cancer is growing.
Life will never be the same after cancer, but it doesn’t mean you stop living. Lately I just found that there’s more than 2,000 people has successfully survive cancer in a natural way. For more info, please click here.
Watch the video related to breast cancer treatment
Clarian North Breast Care recently recognized breast cancer survivors at a special hospital event. During the event, a flash mob dance was initiated by several survivors and friends of survivors. Clarian North would like to celebrate our brave patients and their supporting friends and family. In addition, we would like to use this moment to remind viewers to please visit your physician for regular checkups. For more information about Clarian North Breast Care, please check us out online: www.clariannorth.com
Help answer the question about breast cancer treatment
Breast cancer treatment what was your experience in waiting time for diagnositic test & treatment?I have been through the fight this yr. Just courious about others experience in their area.
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Damon Bradley -
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Radiation was the toughest of treatments for my wife and she at the time of treatment was 52 years old. Radiation kills the tumor at the site where cancer was discovered, it is sort of insurance that it will destroy whatever cells would be left at the site.
Chemotherapy destroys the cells that might have escaped to other parts of the body, surgery removes the tumor itself and radiation is applied to the site to destroy remaining cells.
Treatment is usually over a specific amount of time that is on a daily basis, and it was very painful for us. Not everyone responds to radiation the same way. I have heard from others that it was a walk in the park. For us it was hell.
It could be physically too much for her, the only person to know for sure is her radiation oncologist and regular doctor. A friend of mine had breast cancer at 65 years old and did not have it again for ten years. At 75 years old she decided to not have treatment because she did not want to suffer through it all again.
Each person needs to evaluate if the costs are worth the price of the goods received. I know what radiation did to my wife but she is considerably younger than your grandma. The treatment for her could be the straw that breaks her back. The doctor's need to give an evaluation to decide if it is something she can handle.