Sunday, March 18, 2007

The Value Of Exercise During Radiation Therapy For Breast And Prostate Cancer


Complementary medicine integrates non-Western treatment methods into mainstream medical practice. Examples include light exercise, guided imagery, massage, yoga, reiki, tai chi, acupuncture, music therapy, and art therapy.

In the oncology area, these modalities can help to reduce side effects and thereby enhance a person's physical and/or emotional tolerance to treatment. People thus feel better during what might otherwise be a very difficult period of cancer treatment.

Fatigue is a common symptom during cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It can stem from the underlying illness, insomnia/sleep deprivation, anxiety, and/or the cancer treatment itself. Helping people manage and reduce fatigue is an important component in enhancing their overall well-being. After all, oncologists strive to treat the whole person and not just the disease.

The mechanism of fatigue in radiation therapy is not known. Often, it is not purely radiation treatment induced, but rather, is due to one or more of the factors outlined above.

In people with breast and prostate cancer, the National Cancer Institute undertook a randomized controlled study of cancer related fatigue in 38 individuals. 27 were women with breast cancer and 11 were men with prostate cancer. All received at least 30 radiation treatments, five days a week for six weeks.

Baseline tests to assess fatigue, strength, and cardiovascular heath were performed before the people received radiation therapy. The study compared a half the people in the group who followed an exercise program to the half who were randomized to receive radiation therapy without exercise therapy.

The program consisted of moderate, home-based use of resistance bands and walking. Of the participants in the trial, the average age was 60. Half the people received chemotherapy and 84% endured surgery. Participants were enthusiastic and 95% of them completed the prescribed exercise course

The exercise group was required to take walks daily and to try to increase the number of steps taken each day. They wore pedometers and kept a diary. In addition, they were assigned to complete 11 resistance band exercises daily, performing one set of eight to 15 repetitions daily and gradually increasing to three to four sets. Results revealed an 82% increase in the number of steps walked daily and the use of resistance bands an average of 3 1/2 days per week for 20 minutes at a moderate intensity level.

Those who exercised maintained their stamina during radiation therapy and improved their aerobic capacity. Also, they were able to walk faster and further in only four weeks and they experienced less cancer related fatigue than the control group. In fact, the control subjects demonstrated a decline in their baseline muscle strength.

The mechanism by which exercise alleviates fatigue is not clear. Although this study is small and more clinical trials will be helpful, the results suggest that when exercise is non-burdensome, safe and feasible, it serves as an inexpensive, valuable tool in improving the quality of life of cancer survivors.

For more information about radiation therapy, visit www.ASTRO.org , the website of The American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Breast Cancer Therapy - Avoids Stres And Multiplies Consumption Of VegetableHave ever been found patient suffering breast cancer as result of stress suffered. Really stress and there is no cause other. He is not at all has genetic disparity or folks suffering breast cancer. Condition of patient cancer the stays at stadium 2, mean possibility recovers or its(the a spark of life spread still enough lengths. But stress continuous experienced by makes it living on only until year second.

In consequence, stress cannot be paltered. Handling to stress must be done soon possibly, both for the preventing and also therapy for cancer patient. Other risk factor is menstruating at the age of early ( age 11 years downwards). Scientific scanning shows case number of breast cancer would be higher at man who is experiencing menstruates at age 11 years downwards is compared to them experiencing it is at the age of 13 years. Whereas menopause that is overdue and also has not married or have not borne also is risk factor. Consumption of Alcohol, smoking and consumption of drug containing estrogen hormone on a long term is a number of risk factors also. Other factor is descendant. Someone that his family contracted breasts cancer, hence she has the same risk. Gene mutation BRCA1 and BRCA2 has tightly bearing with breast cancer risk, ovary or both 50-85 % percent. Because of that, suggested if there is member of family hit by breast cancer hence member of other family must do inspection with mammography.

Woman with standard risk can do mammography at the age of 40 years upward. But woman with primary risk, especially with mutation BRCA1 and BRCA2, mammography better be started at the age of 25 years. Or at the age of 5 year is more young from member of family is young having breast cancer history. For example, if the sister suffers cancer at the age of 26 year, hence its ( the sister ) ? brother with mutation BRCA1 or BRCA2 is suggested to starts inspection of mammography at the age of 21 years.

There was no method that was certain to ward off or cure cancer.

There is none that prevented absolutely. But life pattern healthy and avoids stress is one of medium to pursue spreading of cancer cell and lengthens hope age life. Many vegetable consumptions and ascorbic acid, eliminates stress, avoids cigarette and doesn't too fat. A number of researches show consumption of fruits and vegetable can reduce breast cancer risk. The reason is, food from rich plant with antioxidant nutrient preventing damage of cells which able to cause cancer. Labors to consume very a few 5 portion of fruits or vegetable per day. Other research shows single unsaturated fat like olive can protect us from breast cancer, while saturated fat as there is in flesh and butter can increases risk. This told by David J. Hunter, MD., Director Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention in Boston.

The experts who observed the habit eating the patient and the healthy woman of breasts cancer also found the woman that Mengonsumsi steak well done (very ripe) was risky 4 times were higher was affected by this illness was compared that more liked Steak the medium, like that according to a research in 1998 that was contained in Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The research In 1997 that was published the medical English journal, The Lancet also found consumption of the soybean that often contained The compound phytoestrogen will reduce the risk of breasts cancer.

So whose spells out members breast cancer is anything end? Many ways which able to be done to live it up more length. One other important therapies, forgets that you are a breast cancer patient because increasingly you thought of it hence increasingly distress weight felt and increasingly light physical of you. So why must immerse in sorrow when still many other gladness ? joys is awaited your involvement.
Breast Cancer Sufferer - High Risky SuicideThe woman who had suffered breasts cancer had the risk of the suicide 37% higher compared with the woman who had not suffered breasts cancer, and the increase in this risk of continuing to take place at least till 25 years after the diagnosis, according to the report in the National Journal of the Cancer Institute.

The research beforehand researched concerning the risk of the suicide in the women who had suffered breasts cancer, but most did not research the long-term risk and not a single involved the woman in the United States (the USA), according to Dr. Catherine Schairer and his colleagues, from the National Cancer Institute in Rockville, Maryland.

Their research involved one of the analyst's data from 723. 810 women who had suffered breasts cancer that was diagnosed suffered cancer between 1953 and 2001 and were included in the list of the inhabitants who suffered cancer in the USA and Scandinavia. In the further research until 2002, around 836 women among them carried out the suicide.

Compared with the public's population, the woman with breasts cancer had in general the suicide as big as 4,1 per 100 thousand women each year.

After 25 years or more, the woman who had been diagnosed suffered breasts cancer still had the risk of the suicide higher 35% were compared by the woman without breasts cancer. The risk of the suicide also increasingly big with the increase in the cancer stage, according to the researcher.

“Although the accumulation of the small suicide opportunity, results of the research suggested that the long-term maintenance program ought to for the woman who had suffered breasts cancer involve sides that cared and understood psychology,” the research concluded.