Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer and dieting

cervicalcancer — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:28:43 +0000

Cervical cancer is cancer of the passageway between the uterus and the vagina, also called the cervix. This type of cancer is very easy to prevent and to treat as long as it is detected early. A Pap screening can detect any cancerous or precancerous conditions and can send you off to treatment in no time. An HPV vaccine could also be your major weapon against cervical cancer.

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However, invasive cervical cancer is a completely different matter. This disease is much harder to deal with and a lot more difficult to treat. Treatment ranges from standard like surgery, chemo, radiations therapy and complementary or alternative treatments like herbal therapies, natural remedies, integrative treatments and so on.

However, these last ones are not advised to replace conventional treatments an even if you take them as complementary treatment you should ask your doctor about their impact on the other parts of your therapies as they could make them less efficient.

In the case of cervical cancer, as far as complementary and integrative treatment is concerned the CAAT(Controlled Amino Acid Therapy) is the most commonly used therapy and it’s a blend between medical science and dieting. Actually, CAAT is more that just a diet and more like an amino acid, carbohydrate and glucose reduction protocol. The idea is to starve the cancer cells to death. Many clinical trials are being done using this protocol and they have all reported great success.

CAAT is a a diet meant to control the amino acid intake and it is realized by replacing certain foods in the patient’s daily food with scientifically supported formula of amino acid. A strictly configured food plan must accompany the the amino acid formula as not to render it useless.

CAAT can work successfully alone to a certain extent but it is best used in addition to conventional cancer treatments. With chemotherapy it can even enhance its benefits while lessening their toxic effects.

The phases of integrative therapy with CAAT and dieting includes three phases: CAAT formulation, daily food intake and the last phase consists in nutritional supplements. The CAAT formulation can be greatly enhanced though the consumption of fructose and vinegar for example. These have acetic acid properties and help block glycosis, putting an end to the energy supply for the cancer cells.

Elements of phase three can include: parsley, vitamin D, green tea extract, anti-oxidants, whey protein, grits, tocotrienols and many others. Ask your doctor for a customized CAAT formula and the proper diet and supplements for your case as each case can require different therapies.

What makes CAAT a very promising area of cancer treatment as it is a therapy that attacks and terminates cancerous cells while not disrupting the functioning of healthy, normal cells.

Recovery from cervical cancer

cervicalcancer — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:25:07 +0000

Cervical cancer is a very common disease among women and, luckily, this has lead to an increased use of screening tests and various prevention methods which keep a woman safe from developing cancer. These are also efficient as follow up treatment, to ensure a smooth, certain recovery and to prevent recurrent cancer or to detect it very early.

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Standard follow up tests include a pelvic exam, Pap tests, as well as other laboratory tests all of which are very important for any woman, after being treated for cervical cancer or even just for precancerous lesions, also known as dysplasia.

The safest way to go about this problem is by actually take these tests for years after you’ve been declared cured. During these years you are more vulnerable to recurrent cancer and it’s safer to check periodically for any signs that the the condition has returned. Regular check up should therefore continue even for the rest of your life. Cervical cancer is a condition that can cause side effects even decades after it is cured.

Cancerous cells might have been omitted or the organism is simply more vulnerable to developing again. Either way, you should always keep a look out and very carefully monitor your health. At the slightest problem you should immediately contact your doctor and don’t dismiss any slight discomfort, any mild pain and not even a persistent headache. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

It true however that the prognosis for women with precancerous abnormalities or very early stages of cervical cancer is very good, even 100% in the case of dysplasia, but you shouldn’t underestimate the disease and the possibility of rendering the treatment useless just because an area was left untreated.

There’s even a chance for Pap tests to be interpreted wrong so you should always be sure to ask for a second opinion. In the meantime, research is being done to perfect the treatments, diagnosis, the recovery and the follow up treatment so that risks of dying are brought down to a minimum. In the case of invasive cancer, the risks are even higher and recovery is a strenuous process though its helps a lot just to know that you’re cured and on your way to resuming your normal life.

Still, you should be aware that a certain diet, a certain treatment and certain restrictions are essential for keeping the cancer away for good. Family support is also very important in the patient’s recovery and in preventing remission. You may have great chances of recovery and statistics might completely favor you but you should still realize that recurrent cancer is previously cured cancer so don’t be fooled by the word “cured”, since it might only mean that your risks of developing cervical cancer have become higher than for other women with your profile.

Essiac tea as remedy for cervical cancer

cervicalcancer — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:13:32 +0000

Natural treatments have always gotten a lot of attention from patients with cervical cancer since standard treatment can be quite predictable and leaves a lot of room for hope from alternative therapies.However, no doctor would ever recommend that you replace conventional treatments like surgery and chemotherapy with unconventional ones, which are by definition only complementary. Even so, cancer itself can often defy any prediction so you can always keep your hope even without resorting to untested treatments.

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More and more miraculous claims are being made about various natural foods which appear to be the next cure for cancer. Even so, many of them are invariably denied by scientifical research or simply with nor confirmation from the medical community. These spread by word of mouth usually and people opt for them after seing or hearing about the results other patients have had with them.

Women especially venture in the realm of natural cervical cancer treatments and they actually put a lot of hope in them. Once you make sure you won’t fall victim to unrealistic claims, you should really look into these natural therapies. Some of them might actually work and there’s some degree of scientific confirmation to their effectiveness against cancer.

For example, Essiac tea has been accepted as a natural anti-cancer tea by a lot of people worldwide though there’s still quite an intense controversy on the subject. It was first introduced in the 70’s by a woman who was given no chance for overcoming her cancer, or at least that is what the doctors said. Once she started the Essiac therapy she eventually was cured. Today, Essiac tea is one of the most frequently used herbal treatments by patients with cervical cancer. The Mayo clinic comes to confirm this after their reports showed that 10% of all cancer patients participating in clinical trials in 2004 were using Essiac tea. In other clinics today this number is much higher.

Essiac tea is an effective element in the home self-treatment of cervical cancer patients and it’s an effortless therapy you can either purchase it off the internet, from drug stores or you can prepare in your home.

The ingredients are available for everybody to know and quite accessible as well. These are: Burdock Root (1lb 5oz), Sheep Sorrel Lvs., Pwd, Slippery Elm Bark, Pwd (4oz), Turkish Rhubarb Root, Pwd (1oz). You will also need 2 gallon stainless steel pots, one strainer, one spatula, one funnel and one times. An 8 oz measuring cup of Essiac and 2 gallons of distilled water is all you need as ingredients. You then make the tea by pouring boiling water over the mix and then you have to boil it some more for 10 minutes and let it sit for 6 hours.

You can drink it before going to bed, after at least 2 hours from your last meal.

Recurrent cervical cancer

cervicalcancer — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:08:45 +0000

Cervical cancer is diagnosed in 6% of all cancer cases that afflict women in the US every year. It accounts for almost 16,000 yearly cases of invasive carcinoma of the cervix, not to mention that there are 500,000 new cases of pre-invasive cancers detected every year. These are also known as dysplasia and may you be so lucky as to detect the abnormality in that stage, as it is 100% curable.

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Fortunately, this has been the case for most women at risk of developing cancer and this is mostly due to the increased use of screening methods like the Pap test. This test has helped reduce the incidence of cervical cancer in the last decades and, since 1940, with its help, the probability for a woman to develop cervical cancer has dropped from 1.1% to 0,7%.

The cancer usually develops from pre-existent lesions of the cervix and mutation in the cells as well as their uncontrolable growth and spread eventually lead to the formation of a tumor. This tumor can go deeper into the tissue or even spread to other parts of the body. Treatment is established according to the stage of the cancer and also prognosis is also mainly given by the stage.

Treatments can range from surgery to adjuvant therapy such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These sometimes just count as palliative therapy but in earlier stages they can prevent the cancer from relapsing by being administered after surgery, to ensure all cancerous cells are dead.

However, cancer may still sometimes relapse, especially if you are not consistent with your follow-up treatment. This can also only become obvious even years after your first cancer. Symptoms of recurrent cervical cancer can include pain in the pelvis, vaginal discharge with blood, back pain, pain in the legs, leg swelling, persistent cough and weight loss.

Cervical cancer is most likely to recur in the vagina, pelvis, lymph nodes, the liver or the lung. Treatment can vary greatly from case to case as there can be many different locations for the recurrence and many different degrees of severeness. It also depends on the treatment the patient got the first time. For example, if radiation wasn’t given previously, external beam radiation can be used to treat recurrent cervical cancer in the pelvis.

In this confined condition, chemotherapy and interstitial radiation therapy might also be helpful. If radiation was given before there’s only one thing you can do and that is the removal of the vagina, uterus, bladder or the rectum, the five year survival rate after this procedure going no higher than 50%.

Chemotherapy can also work for women with inoperable tumors. If they have an unresectable pelvic disease, re-radiation is possible as well as arterial chemotherapy. You’re oncologist is the most qualified to tell you which procedure is best for your case.

Dysplasia and cervical cancer

cervicalcancer — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:48:45 +0000

Cervical dysplasia is a condition that describes a precancerous formation in the surface of the cervix. This consists of an appearance of abnormal cells and can range between mild and severe. This condition, apart from eventually leading to the development of cervical cancer, dysplasia doesn’t cause any other health problems. Fortunately, if detected on time, dysplasia is 100% curable and curing it means that cancer is guaranteed not to develop.

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If, however, it is left untreated, dysplasia is most likely to develop into cervical carcinoma in situ, and finally into invasive cervical cancer. About 30% or 50% of all dysplasia lesions will eventually progress into invasive cancer.

Dysplasia is mainly caused by HPV infections yet other factors must also play a part. Research has been quite unclear about what are the other causes that also contribute to the formation of cancerous cells in the cervix.

Between 250,000 and 1 million women are diagnosed with dysplasia every year in the US. This makes is a serious health risk and also a reason for all women to be consistent about their screening tests. These screenings can diagnose dysplasia and, if abnormal cells are present, you will have to undergo further specialized tests like colposcopy or biopsy.

Signs and symptoms that should make you seek medical attention include: genital warts, abnormal bleeding, vaginal discharge and low back pain. If you notice any of these you should schedule yourself for an examination but don’t panic, as they can also be signs of many other mild affections.

Before moving on to treatment, you must also know that there are ways to prevent cervical dysplasia. HPV vaccines like Gardasil and Cervarix can be taken in order to prevent HPV strains 16 and 18 from causing abnormalities in the cervix. Practicing safe sex can also reduce the risk of being infected with HPV and therefore of developing dysplasia. Other lifestyle changes can also be effective in preventing the onset of dysplasia. These include not smoking, not having multiple sex partners and having a diet rich in beta-caroten and vitamins C and B.

Treatment usually consists of surgical procedures which can be done in an unpatient setting. However, some procedures might affect future fertility so you have to carefully consult with your doctor before undergoing a particular procedure. There’s no 100% sure lik between pregnancy and treatments for dysplasia but it has been reported that it can lead to preterm delivery in the case of a pregnant woman.<

Surgical procedures are done to remove abnormal tissue and this completely cures dysplasia. These procedures can include: cryocauterization, laser therapy, loop electrosurgical excision and cervical conization. They all have a cure rate of at least 90%, cryocauterization having the highest cure rate of them all.

Ask your doctor for more information about dysplasia and give yourself the best chance to prevent cervical cancer. Be one of the 89% of women in the US, already having regular pap screenings.

Benefits of screening cervical cancer

cervicalcancer — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:43:20 +0000

Cervical cancer is the most preventable type of cancer and because women have become more aware about their health risks, increased use of prevention methods have significantly reduced cervical cancer incidence in the last decades. Prevention methods for cervical cancer include Pap screenings and HPV vaccination. These give patients or suspected patients a 100% chance for curing the cancer or precancerous conditions, as well as to boost the immune system. Furthermore, vaccines like Gardasil and Cervarix also kill HPV strains 16 and 18 even before they can cause any abnormality in the cervix.

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Thanks to all the public awareness campaigns, these methods have become part of the lives of most women in the US. Unfortunately, such campaigns are less useful though just as effective in developing countries where prevention methods are hardly accessible or affordable for most of the women.

So let’s get back to basics and see what exactly is screening. Screening means looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms and can detect any precancerous abnormalities or cancer in an early stage.

We all know staging is what determines the best treatments plan and the general prognosis. Doctors are now trying to determine the exact risk factors for every type of cancer so that they can recommend different kinds of screening for different people. It’s not really necessary or possible for that matter to get regular screenings for all cancers.

In the case of cervical cancer the risk factors which may express a need for screening include HPV infections, giving birth to many children, multiple sex partners, becoming sexually active at an early age, smoking and using oral contraceptives.

If these risks are present in your life you should really get regular Pap screenings. If a screening test result is abnormal, you may need to have other specialized tests done to find out if you have cancer, also called diagnostic tests.

The Papanicolau test is the standard screening procedure for cervical cancer. This procedure consist in collecting cells from the surface of the cervix and from the vagina. It is done with the help of a brush or a small stick which scrape the cells and then smear them on a lens and study them under a microscope.

This can tell a cytologist if there are any abnormalities present. Also called a Pap smear, this procedure is non invasive and can be performed in the doctor’s office. There are constant improvements done to this procedure, and today, they place the tissue in liquid before studying it, for a more accurate detection.

However there are some risks of Pap screenings you should be aware of. These include: false-negative test results and false-positive test results. This is why we should always remain on the look out for any risks and signs of a disease developing.

Endometrial cancer and cervical cancer

cervicalcancer — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:15:25 +0000

Just as there are more types of cervical cancer, there are also more types of cancer of the uterus and cervical cancer is just one of them.
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The other two are endometrial cancer and cancer of the ovary. The uterus is a part of the woman’s reproductive system. This is also called the womb and it is where the baby grows. The wall of the uterus has two layers of tissue and the inner layer is the endometrium. Endometrial cancer consists in the growth of abnormal, cancerous cells in the endometrium. Endometrial cancer is actually the most common gynecologic cancer in America, but, fortunately, it’s also associated with the highest survival rates. These are usually diagnosed in the case of 35,000 women every year and what sets it apart from cervical cancer is that it shows early symptoms of vaginal bleeding and allows a very early diagnosis.

This type of cancer usually occurs in women over 50 and most of the time it is caught in its earliest stage, when it is also completely curable.

Endometrial cancer generally occurs in women after menopause and has been linked to the exposure to excessive estrogen. Actually, the cause for this cancer is actually an imbalance between the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body. This can lead to a thickening of the endometrium and, in time, cancerous cells begin to grow and divide out of control. The risk factors for developing this imbalance include obesity, estrogen supplements, polycystic ovary syndrome, starting her period before 12 or going through menopause after 55. A woman is also most likely to develop this imbalance is she has never been pregnant and has never breast fed.

The big advantage with this cancer is, as stated above, showing an early symptom of vaginal bleeding, mostly after menopause. 20 out of 100 women that experience this symptoms have endometrial cancer. Other symptoms can include fatigue and weight loss. Since these can ensure early detection, the most common treatment for this type of cancer is surgery. Surgical intervention is done to remove the uterus, the cervix, ovaries and the fallopian tubes. The oncologist gan decide how radical this procedure needs to be for each individual case. In some cases parts of the pelvic and aortic lymph nodes might need to be removed. This is necessary when the cancer has already spread.

Other procedures are also available and can be administered differentially. These are chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiation therapy. These adjuvant therapies can be very effective in ensuring the surgery’s success and in preventing relapse. Radiation and chemotherapy can kill cancer cells and hormone therapy is used to block cancer growth.

There are also clinical trials for this type of cancer and the prognosis is usually very encouraging.

Cervarix - cervical cancer vaccine

cervicalcancer — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:08:58 +0000

Cervical cancer is one of the easiest to prevent types of cancers and the increased awareness about this fact is significantly shown in the incidence rates, which have declined radically in the last decades. Luckily, prevention methods like Pap screenings and vaccination have become widely available and accessible. Some developing countries are still confronted with the difficulty to afford the vaccine but progress has definitely been made and will continue to make efforts to facilitate the access of all women to the vaccine.
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Gardasil was the first vaccine to enter the market,in 2006 and in 2009 Cervarix was approved by the FDA as a vaccine to be taken against HPV infections. This GlaxoSmithKline product is a bivalent HPV vaccine to be administered to women between 10 and 25 years. This vaccine is very effective in preventing the development oh HPV strains 16 and 18 into cervical cancer or any precancerous conditions. Since despite its decreased incidence, cervical ncer is still the second leading cause of cancer in women over 20 and under 40, the need for this enhanced vaccine was very strong in a time where we are given the chance to treat 100% curable diseases instead of struggling with cancer.

Though there are certain side effects to this vaccination and it also isn’t 100% effective, controversy followed after its approval. In20% of the patients vaccinated as aprt of clinical trials particular reactions have been reported including pain, erythema, swelling at the injection site, fatigue, dizziness, headache, gastrointestinal disturbance and arthralgia. There are many women who are fighting to make people more aware about the adverse effects of Cervarix and Gardasil but girls are still choosing to be vaccinated. The Food and Drugs Association has also weighed all advantages and disadvantages and has inclined towards the approval of the vaccine due to its many benefits and clinically proven success in preventing cervical cancer in 93% of the cases studied. Safety also clearly overthrew the risks of side-effects.

These clinical trials are also sure to have come up with valid results. They have been conducted on a period of 5 and a half years and 700 women between 15 and 25 years old were involved. There’s also ongoing research for perhaps even a better version of the vaccine.

Any young woman can take this vaccine but she mustn’t skip her Pap screenings because of this. Certain indications exist however for the case of pregnant women. The simple and only indication for these women is not to take the vaccine. This is also the case for women planning to remain pregnant during the 6-month vaccination course.

Ask your doctor about how you can get vaccined or how to get your daughter vaccined. If monitored, side effects can be easily alleviated and the long term benefits are much greater.

Natural treatment for cervical cancer

cervicalcancer — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:00:02 +0000

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women and it is also one of the easiest to prevent if women take the time to get annual Pap tests. These are effective in detecting any abnormalities in the cervix area and refer you to further treatment or testing.
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Regular Pap tests cant diagnoses precancerous lesions that are 100% curable. It also helps if women are very self conscious about their health and opt for a healthy life style. For example, the precancerous lesions also known as dysplasia can be prevented if you don’t have sex with multiple partners, have protected sex and take other healthy choices as not smoking and adding natural supplements to your diet. There are actually natural treatments and herbs than can prevent dysplasia and more so, there are herbal supplements that can strengthen your immune system and give you a better chance at fighting the development of cancer.

The truth is that natural treatments can weigh a lot in overcoming cervical cancer though only as a complementary treatment, aiding to the efforts made through standard, conventional treatment like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Natural treatment can be administered

as alternative treatment on its own but no doctor recommends this.

Most of the natural treatments for cervical cancer are conceived as herbal support treatments and are meant to alleviate symptoms and side-effects of conventional therapy and to also strengthen the patient’s immune system. These can be especially designed for every individual case. It is recommended that you use herbal treatment only as an integrated part of a medically directed treatment. This can enhance the impact chemotherapy and radiation therapy have on the tumor, also making them more bearable. They also offer support in preventing cancer recurrence.

Things you can take as supplements to fight cervical cancer, preferably as prescribed by a professional, include: aloe juice, astragalus capsules, green tree catechin extracts, snow fungus and turmeric curcumin tablets. There are also other natural ways in which you can improve your cancer treatments. A popular one is traditional Chinese medicine. This can consist of acupuncture and herbal therapy. Chinese herbal therapy garlic is the main ingredient used to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. It also stimulates the production of healthy cells. This is actually a plant known to help in battling with more types of cancer. Another plant, second to garlic as far as anti-cancer properties are involved, is ginseng. This plant also does wonder to improve the immune system.

There are also things you can do without consulting a doctor to give yourself a better chance of preventing or overcoming the cancer. This includes consuming more dark -green vegetables, fruits and other foods you know to contain powerful antioxidants. Another things that has been proven to reduce the risk of invasive cancer is Vitamin E. Ask you doctor for more tips about enforcing your diet with anti-cancer foods.

Stage 2 cervical cancer

cervicalcancer — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:54:05 +0000

Cervical cancer early diagnosis and staging are essential in treating and overcoming this disease. Cervical cancer, as most types of cancer, shown no early symptoms that could warn you of the progress of the disease. However, it remains one of the easiest to prevent forms of cancer, by taking regular Pap screenings and monitoring you health state. This can give you the chance to detect any abnormalities even before they turn malignant and you have a 100% chance of curing such precancerous condition, also known as dysplasia.
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Staging the cancer is also essential is developing the correct treatment plan as cervical cancer in different stages responds differently to the same type of treatment. The more advanced the stage the less effective the treatment and the poorer the survival prognosis. Cervical cancer goest through 4 stages from being non-invasive to reaching metastasis.

For example, if stage 1 cervical cancer is diagnosed the tumor can be removed through surgery but if stage 2 is diagnosed treatments can include surgery but are most likely to depend on chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Stage 2 cervical cancer is the one of which Pap screenings have been most effective in reducing incidence. The staging indicates how far the cancer has spread and in this case, the cancer is likely to have grown beyond the cervix and uterus without spreading yet to the walls of the pelvis. This stage can be further divided into two other phases. Stage 2A implies that the cancer has not spread into the tissue surrounding the cervix but is possible to have reached the upper part of the vagina. Lymph nodes however have not been affected yet and neither have other distant sites. For a more accurate diagnosis and approach, stage 2A can also be divided into stage 2A1 and stage 2A2. In the first one the tumor is not larger than 4 cm while in the other the tumor is bigger than 4 cm but both haven’t spread to the lymph nodes. Stage 2B indicates that the cancer has spread to the tissues surrounding the cervix but has still remained limited as far as reaching lymph nodes or other distant sites is concerned.

Treatment for this stage is mainly based on chem otherapy and radiation therapy. Prognosis for this stage is poorer than for the preceeding stages but it still offers a good chance for treatment.

In most cases, stage 2 cervical cancer is cancer affecting the surrounding tissue and it offers a different prognosis for each of its secondary stages. The women that have been diagnosed with stage 2A cervical cancer have a 5-year survival rate of 70% to 90%, which basically means that 7 or 9 out of then will survive through treatment. For stage 2B, the statistics are lower. The 5-year survival rate can drop to 60 or 70%, meaning that only 6 or 7 from women diagnosed with it will survive.