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Silicone Breast Implants: The Safety of Silicone

A New Day in silicone, a preferred option in breast aesthetic surgery.

Silicones are a family of chemical compounds. They are made from silicon, a naturally occurring element found in sand, quartz and rock. Next to oxygen, silicon is the most common element in the earth’s crust and becomes silicone when it is combined with oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. Depending on the arrangement of the molecules, silicones can be manufactured in a variety of forms including oils, gels and solids.

Silicones have been part of the consumer industry for over 50 years. Because they can be manufactured in various ways, silicones appear in a wide variety of products that most of us use everyday. Hairsprays, suntan lotions and moisturizing creams are just some of the consumer products that contain one form of silicone called dimethicone.

Medical devices utilizing silicone include artificial joints, catheters, drainage systems, facial implants, tissue expanders and breast implants. Silicone products have been shown to be biocompatible, reliable, flexible and easy to sterilize, making them an ideal choice for both implantable and non-implantable medical devices.

What makes today’s silicone a safe option?

In 1992, the FDA called for a voluntary moratorium (delay) on the use of silicone gel-filled breast implants until new safety information could be thoroughly reviewed by the FDA’s advisory panel. That same year, the FDA lifted this moratorium and announced its decision to allow access to silicone breast implants for reconstruction patients under controlled clinical studies, called Adjunct Studies. In 1999, the FDA allowed the use of silicone gel-filled implants in Allergan’s Core Clinical Study to assess the safety and effectiveness of these devices.

While these studies are collecting information specific to INAMEDs Silicone-Filled Breast Implants, the National Institute of Health’s Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a landmark 400-page report entitled “Safety of Silicone Breast Implants.” This 1999 report on the safety ofsilicone concluded “There is insufficient evidence to support an association of silicone breast implants with defined connective tissue disease.” The IOM also stated “There is no convincing evidence for atypical connective tissue disease or rheumatic disease or a novel constellation of signs and symptoms in women with silicone breast implants.”??

The unique qualities of today’s silicone gel-filled breast implants help make it the filler of choice for patients in countries where both saline-filled and silicone gel-filled breast implants are widely available.

With the recent approval of silicone filled breast implants for breast augmentation and breast reconstruction, physicians and patients can be assured of the safety of silicone. This confirmation is based on extensive preclinical testing, four years of data on 715 women from Allergan’s Core Clinical Study and a European study that evaluated implant rupture prevalence rates beyond 10 years. In addition, countless published, peer-reviewed studies and research support the safety of silicone gel-filled breast implants.

A study by the US Government looks at silicone implants and confirms findings.

In 1997, the Department of Health and Human Services began one of the most extensive research studies in medical history by appointing the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science (IOM) to examine potential complications during or after surgery.

The IOM consisted of a 13-member volunteer committee, including six women. The committee was composed of members of the medical, scientific and educational communities with experience in radiology, women’s health, neurology, oncology, silicone chemistry, rheumatology, immunology, epidemiology, internal medicine and plastic surgery. No IOM members had on-going relationships or conflicts of interest related to any implant lawsuits.

The result: After reviewing years of evidence and research concerning these implants, the IOM found that “Evidence suggests diseases or conditions such as connective tissue diseases, cancer, neurological diseases or other systemic complaints or conditions are no more common in women with breast implants than in women without implants.”

Furthermore, a review of research and medical studies shows:

Extensive studies, including a report by the Institute of Medicine, conclude that breast cancer is no more common in women with implants than in those without implants

The American Academy of Pediatrics concluded in September 2001 “The Committee on Drugs does not feel that the evidence currently justifies classifying silicone implants as a contraindication to breastfeeding.”

Epidemiological investigations have not found any increased risk of adverse health outcomes in children born to women with breast implants

Silicone breast implants are arguably the most studied medical devices and decades of research have evaluated their safety and effectiveness.

The Allergan Core Clinical Study

Allergan’s Core Clinical Study is an ongoing 10-year study of 940 women who had breast augmentation, reconstruction or revision of a previous surgery between 1999 and 2000. Safety and effectiveness is evaluated through patient follow-up at zero to four weeks, six months, 12 months, 24 months, and annually through 10 years. Safety is assessed by complications, such as implant rupture, capsular contracture and re-operation. Benefit (effectiveness) is assessed by patient satisfaction and measures of body image/esteem and self-esteem.

The result: The FDA has evaluated Allergan’s Core Clinical Study data at four years and determined that INAMEDs Silicone-Filled Breast Implants are safe and effective for use in breast augmentation and breast reconstruction.

The Allergan Adjunct Clinical Study

The Allergan Adjunct Clinical Study enrollment was limited to reconstruction and revision surgery patients who met certain inclusion criteria. Between the years of 1998 and 2006, when enrollment in this study was terminated, over 80,000 silicone filled implants were implanted in more than 50,000 women. Safety data is collected at one, three and five years and is used as supplemental data to support the safety of INAMEDs Silicone-Filled Breast Implants.

Studies show silicone gel-filled breast implants are safe, but that doesn’t make them right for everybody. Silicone gel-filled breast implants are not lifetime devices.It is possible at some point in your lifetime that the implant(s) would need to be removed or replaced. To ensure that you achieve your optimal results safely, patients should be aware that you should not have breast implant surgery if you:

1. Have existing malignant or pre-malignant cancer of the breast and have not been successfully treated

2. Have an active infection anywhere in the body

3. Are currently pregnant or nursing

You should also know that silicone gel breast implants have not been clinically tested in women with:

1. Autoimmune diseases like lupus or scleroderma

2. Conditions that could interfere with wound healing and blood clotting

3. A weakened immune system (such as women receiving immunosuppressive therapy)

4. Reduced blood supply to the breast tissue

5. Radiation to the breast following implantation

6. Clinical diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders. Please discuss any history of mental health disorders prior to surgery

Increased Cancer Risks Associated With Working The Graveyard Shift

You may have heard some alarming health news recently, about how working the ‘graveyard shift’ may increase your odds for developing breast or prostate cancer. This story is based on recent research, over the last 20 years, that does, indeed, find an increased rate of breast cancer among women who work at night. But, please keep in mind that high cancer rates, that have been newly discovered in night workers, does not prove that nighttime work, alone, causes one to get cancer.

It is estimated that about 20 percent of the work force in technologically developed countries work the night shift. One of the first people to spot the night shift-cancer connection was Richard Stevens, a cancer epidemiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center. In 1987 he published a paper suggesting that there may be a a direct correlation to light at night and breast cancer.

Stevens says, “suspiciously, the incidence of breast cancer rates shot up, starting in the 1930′s, where industrialized cultures considered it advantageous to progressively increase one’s income”.

At the time of Steven’s first observations, most medical research scientists considered the link, between light at night to increased breast cancer rates, to be pretty weird and wacky. However, over the last 20 years, ongoing research on this disturbing news has continued. There is some compelling evidence that indicates that men working the night shift may also have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.

It is also interesting to note, that in laboratory research studies with test animals, evidence of the light at night theory, supported Steven’s original idea. When light/dark schedules were purposely disrupted, the animals developed more cancerous tumors and died prematurely.

Since the 1980′s, the cancer connection to artificial light at night has received quite a bit of attention. There seems to be enough evidence to support the notion that there is a questionable pattern of increased cancer rates in night, and rotational, shift workers.

If you are a night worker do not panic, and determine that you simply must abandon your current job for personal health safety reasons. Also, consider that these ongoing studies are only one small piece of evidence to a very large puzzle. There are many other risk factors involved in developing cancer. In all fairness, other known cancer risks should also be evaluated into this equation as well, like:

1.Lifestyle choices such as exercise habits, substance abuse problems, or drug addictions

2.Daily dietary food and beverage intakes.

3.Sleep deprivation problems such as insomnia and depression.

4.Amount of exposure time that bare skin has a chance to connect with UV sunlight rays, and vitamin D levels.

5.Amount of emotional stress levels in relation to unresolved personal issues.

All of those key factor risks, and many others, as well as a wider variety of test subjects need to be extensively studied. Most of the current, light at night research studies, so far, have only been performed on the nursing profession and airline crews.

What researchers are suggesting, though, is that there seems to be a rather complicated system, of some sort, to lower levels of melatonin and serotonin in correlation to rotational, and night, shift workers. Melatonin is a endocrine system hormone produced by the pineal gland that helps induce sleep, and is gradually released after dark. The pineal gland is located deep in the center of the brain behind the center point in the forehead between the eyes, and is known to have a reaction to sunlight exposure. It is believed that sunlight exposure coming in through the eyes for approximately 20 minutes a day, without contacts, eyeglasses, or sunglasses appears to play an important role in the releasing of melatonin.

Clearly, when normal sleep/wake (also called circadian rhythm) cycles are interrupted with artificial lighting at night there may be a steep health price to pay, for the sake of earning a living. Long-term supplementation with melatonin is not advisable, either, as it may eventually interfere with your body’s ability to produce it on its own. Use, instead, one of melatonin’s safer precursors like L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Be advised , that L-tryptophan is only obtainable by presription, however, do not let that intimidate you as it is only a simple amino acid.

As an employer you may consider it financially necessary to use night shifts to voluntarily maximize your company’s profits. But, you may also want to consider employee medical health insurance liabilities, and productivity, too. There might just possibly be lower health insurance rate incentives offered for installing healthier, natural spectrum lighting systems in work station areas, This may help you save even more money, by lowering your energy costs as well.

If you are a rotational, or night, shift worker, sleeping in a darkened room is a must. Do whatever it takes to eliminate, or reduce, light from entering your sleeping environment. You can also improve the quality of your sleep by learning how to practice better sleep hygiene habits. Visit the mercola natural health website and type in the search box, ’33 secrets to a good nights sleep’.

Above all, listen to your body, if working after dark is causing you various health problems, pay close attention! Treat your symptoms with care, put in for a shift change, or find another job.

What are the Causes of Breast Fibroids?

Breast fibroids, also known as fibrocystic breast disease, fibroid breasts, mammary dysplasia, benign breast disease and diffuse cystic mastopathy, are benign (non-cancerous), moveable, rubbery nodules that cause painful swelling near the breast surface.

GEL INJECTION APPARATUS AND TREATMENT OF BREAST, FIBROIDS AND ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION
An injection apparatus for treatment of diseases associated with female reproductive organs, comprising: a hollow core needle with a distal tip; an access probe configured to provide access to a uterus cavity by way of a vaginal canal; a lumen in the access probe for guiding said needle, the access probe adapted for directing the distal tip to a tissue area of interest selected from the group consisting of uterus, fibroid, myoma, fallopian tube, ovary, and cervix; and an injector for delivering a treatment substance comprising an active treatment substance and an inactive binding substance through the needle to the tissue area of interest.

Breast Cancer Drug Effective for Fibroids in Women

In premenopausal women with fibroids, the breast cancer drug anastrozole (Arimidex) reduces fibroid size and improves bothersome symptoms, according to results of a prospective study conducted at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece.
Fibroid tumors, or uterine leiomyomata, are benign growths in the uterus that can cause pain and bleeding and may eventually require surgical removal.

Based on other studies, the researchers think long-term treatment with anastrozole will be safe, but they emphasize that larger, placebo-controlled clinical trials will be required to establish the risk posed by prolonged anastrazole use in premenopausal women.

Anastrozole is typically prescribed for older (postmenopausal) women with breast cancer that is sensitive to estrogen. Anastrozole, and similar drugs, inhibit the enzyme aromatase, which is needed to produce estrogen. The current study suggests that anastrozole, given in such a low dose, acts primarily by blocking estrogens produced by the fibroids.

What are the Causes of Breast Fibroids?
The causes of breast fibroids are not completely understood. However, there are several factors that play a significant role in the development of the disease.

·    The monthly changes in the levels of oestrogen and progesterone are considered to be the most noteworthy factors contributing to this disease. These two hormones directly affect the breast tissues by causing cells to grow and multiply.
·    Prolactin, growth factor, thyroid hormone and insulin also influence the development of breast fibroids.
·    The breast produces hormonal products from its glandular and fat cells. These hormonal products send signals to the neighbouring breast cells. These signals are the key factors responsible for the development of breast fibroids.

Difference between benign breast lumps and cancerous ones

Uterine fibroids (singular Uterine Fibroma) (leiomyomata, singular leiomyoma) are benign tumors which grow from the muscle layers of the uterus.Fibroids are named according to where they are found. They are the most common benign neoplasm in females, and may affect about 25% of white and 50% of black women during the reproductive years. Uterine fibroids shrink dramatically in size after a woman passes through menopause. Cervical fibroids are found in the wall of the womb and can become very large.

Understanding Colon Cancer

After skin cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer, Colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer type occurring in women across the globe. There are many types of colon cancer: Carcinoid Tumors, Lymphoma, Melanoma and Sarcomas. However, the most common of all the colon cancers is Colon Carcinoma.

A colon in the human body is a long, coiled tube shaped organ, which helps in removing water from the digested food. It is also called the large intestine or the large bowel having four sections: Ascending Colon, Transverse Colon, Descending Colon and Sigmoid Colon. Colon cancer is a type of cancer, which forms in the colon tissues. It is often referred to as colorectal cancer. Colon cancers usually are adenocarcinomas, which mean that they begin in cells releasing mucus and other type of fluids.

Who Are At Risk Of Having Colon Cancer?

Colon cancer is responsible for most of the deaths elated to cancer, but doctors say that an early diagnosis can reduce the risk. Immediate action can also lead to full cure of a patient. The risk of having colon cancer increases, if you:

1-Have cancer elsewhere in your body

2-Have a personal history of breast cancer

3-Have a family history of colon cancer

4-Have colorectal polyps, crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

Apart from the above stated reasons, the risk of having colon cancer also depends on your diet. Doctors say that chances of colon cancer may increase, if you are having red meat and a high fat with low fibre diet. Some genetic syndromes may be also responsible in developing colon cancer.

Symptoms of Colon Cancer

There are several symptoms indicating the presence of colon cancer in your body. Some of them include blood in your stool, narrow stools, tenderness & pain in the lower abdomen, unexplained anaemia, sudden weight loss, constipation, diarrhoea, intestinal obstruction and changes in bowel habits.

Take Immediate Action against the Menace

If you feel that you are having any of the symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. There are many physical exams, which needs to be done on your belly area. There are also imaging tests that are extremely helpful in diagnosing colon cancers. Again, tests similar to sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy confirm the presence of colon cancer.

One more test of detecting colon cancer is the fecal occult blood test (FEBT). After detection of colon cancer, additional tests known as staging is done to check the exact area in which the colon cancer has spread.

Treatment of Colon Cancer

The treatment of colon cancer is mainly dependent on the stage in which it has been detected. The most common treatments for colon cancer are chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy medicines kill the colon cancer cells, radiation therapy destroys the cancerous tissue present and surgery may be done to remove the cancer cells.

If treated at an early stage, nearly 90% of patients suffering from colon cancer may survive for minimum of five years after diagnosis. And in cases where the colon cancer does not recur within a period of five years, the patient is considered to be fully cured.

Brain Tumours Causes Symptoms Information With Treatment

Brain tumors occur when cells in the brain begin to divide out of control and start to displace or invade nearby tissues. Occasionally, brain tumors can spread throughout the body. One of the special characteristics of brain tumors is that benign (non-cancerous) tumors in the brain can be just as bad as malignant (cancerous) brain tumors. Any of the various normal cell types of the brain can mutate and become a primary tumor, and the particular cell type which makes up the tumor controls how the tumor is likely to behave. It is locked into place by the skull and can’t move out of the way if a tumor is growing near it. Even a benign tumor can cause pressure on the brain, and this pressure can be both symptomatic and life-threatening. Metastases are tumors which have spread from a cancer that started in a different body part; they do not start in the brain, but instead take up residence there after traveling from a separate cancer (like a lung cancer or breast cancer).

Causes of Brain Tumours

The common Causes of Brain Tumours :

The causes of primary brain tumours are unknown, making prevention difficult.

Metastatic tumours occur when cancer from another part of the body – such as a lung or breast cancer – spreads to the brain.

This depends on whether the tumour is a primary brain tumour, meaning it originates in the brain, or a metastatic brain tumour, which means it starts elsewhere in the body.

By definition, metastatic tumours are malignant.

Symptoms of Brain Tumours

Some Symptoms of Brain Tumours :

Swallowing difficulty

Tongue problems

Hiccups

Facial paralysis

Obesity

Uncontrollable movement

Impaired sense of smell

Absent menstruation

Hand tremor

Dysfunctional movement

Confusion

Breathing, absent temporarily

Treatment of Brain Tumours

The use of high-dose X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy for childhood brain tumors usually comes from a machine and is called external radiation therapy

Steroids may be given to reduce any swelling in the brain. Drugs to control seizures may also be prescribed.

The use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs may be taken orally or injected into a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body and can kill cancer cells throughout the body

Surgery is necessary for most primary brain tumors. Some may be completely removed. Tumors that are deep or that infiltrate brain tissue may be debulked (reducing the tumor’s size and mass) rather than removed.

Researchers are also studying new ways to deliver cancer-fighting drugs to brain tumors. For instance, biodegradable wafers containing cancer-fighting drugs are being implanted in some tumors during surgery.

Obesity: Symptoms and Their Effects

Obesity

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A crude population measure of obesity is the body mass index (a personâ??s weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of his or her height (in meters). Overweight and obesity are major risk factors when people eat more calories than they burn off; their bodies store the extra calories as fat. for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20 percent or more over an individual’s ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of illness, disability, and death. It may be simply an extreme degree of overweight – but a person can be overweight without being obese.

Symptoms of Obesity

Adiposity (fat cells) in the breast region in boys

Large abdomen (white or purple marks are sometimes present)

Increased adiposity in the upper arms and thighs.

Accumulation of excess fat below the diaphragm and in the chest wall may put pressure on the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath, even with minimal exertion.

There is indigestion aggravated by so much abdominal fat. Urinary incontinence is an often undisclosed but embarrassing symptom, particularly for women, and is very common for the obese. Snoring and sleep apnoea have a strong association with abdominal obesity

Strain on the weight bearing joints.

Extra body fat

High blood pressure

Heart and blood vessel problems, such as stroke and coronary heart disease

Health effects of obesity

Heart Disease-The risk of heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, and angina or chest pain is increased in persons who are overweight or obese. High blood pressure is twice as common in adults who are obese than in those who are at a healthy weight. Obesity is associated with high triglycerides and decreased HDL cholesterol.

Cancers-Obesity is associated with an increased risk for some types of cancer including endometrial (cancer of the lining of the uterus), colon, gall bladder, prostate, kidney, and post-menopausal breast cancer. Women gaining more than 20 pounds from age 18 to midlife double their risk of post-menopausal breast cancer, compared to women whose weight remains stable.

Health Risk of Arthritis-Osteoarthritis is a painful degenerative joint disorder that has been called “wear and tearâ?. Arthritis since it is caused by physical stress on joints. It most often affects knees, hips, and lower back vertebrae. Extra weight can place pressure on these joints, accelerating the wearing away of the cartilage that normally protects them. Gout is a joint disease, but it is caused by high levels of uric acid. Uric acid can form crystal deposits in the joints, causing pain and inflammation.

Psychosocial effects – In a culture where often the ideal of physical attractiveness is to be overly thin, people who are overweight or obese frequently suffer disadvantages. Overweight and obese persons are often blamed for their condition and may be considered to be lazy or weak-willed. It is not uncommon for overweight or obese conditions to result in persons having lower incomes or having fewer or no romantic relationships. Disapproval of overweight persons expressed by some individuals may progress to bias, discrimination, and even torment.

Do You Know What Colon Cancer Is

Colon cancer is uncommon in those under forty years of age and tends to be associated with a poorer prognosis. Another consideration is that people who don?t have symptoms at the time of diagnosis tend to have a better prognosis. Colon cancer is regarded as the second leading cause of most cancer deaths in the United States.

Colon cancer is a long-standing disease, which starts as a polyp or a small non-cancerous growth. Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in Canada. It is estimated that one of 16 Canadian men and one of 18 Canadian women will develop colon cancer in their lifetimes, just behind breast cancer for women and prostate cancer in men.

Colon cancer is most common in people over age 50. Colon cancer is easily treated, and even cured in some cases, if lesions are caught early. The problem is that most people don’t know they are harboring cancerous growths, since the disease has very few symptoms.

Colon cancer is the second most common form of cancer in the United States and the number three cause of cancer death in Americans. The appearance of an adenomatous polyp precedes malignant tumors in 95% percent of all colon cancer cases.

Colon cancer is often fatal if the cancer cells have spread unchecked through the lymphatic system or bloodstream to adjacent and/or distant tissues. Colorectal cancer has a strong tendency to metastasize to the liver, which represents the leading cause of death for people with the disease.

Colon cancer is preventable. The most important step towards preventing colon cancer is getting a screening test. Colon cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the lining of the bowel. Usually small lumps called polyps begin to form.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. The American Cancer Society recommends that men and women be screened for colon cancer beginning at age 50. Colon cancer is a very common cancer second only to lung cancer.

The strongest risk factor for colon cancer is age. Colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second-largest cause of cancer death in the U.S. About 98,200 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed in 2001, and colon cancer is expected to be responsible for approximately 48,000 deaths in the U.S.

Women eating red meat daily ran over twice the risk of developing colon cancer than women eating red meat less than once a month. Women with a history of breast cancer are not at an increased risk of colorectal cancer, conclude authors of a study published in this week’s issue of THE LANCET. A history of breast cancer has been reported as a risk factor for colorectal cancer in women.

Optimal Breast Health

There are many things you can do to obtain and maintain and optimal breast health. Studies show that an active lifestyle, a healthy diet, and plenty of sleep are among the most important and easiest things you can do to support breast health. Genetics also plays a part in whether or not a woman develops breast cancer. If your mom, sister, aunt or grandmother has had breast cancer, your risk increases. Foods rich in antioxidants are believed to help keep your cells strong and possibly fend off breast cancer. Colorful fruits such as blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, blackberries, and pomegranates are filled with cancer-fighting antioxidants. As are many vegetables such as arugula, kale, carrots, spinach, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Organic foods are especially healthy because they do not contain pesticides and environmental pollutants. The benefits of teas are also worth exploring. Some research suggests that soy intake should be limited, as it can cause increased levels of estrogen in the body. Limit your saturated fat intake as much as possible.

Stress should be kept to a minimum which helps to keep your immune system strong. It is thought that women who start their menstrual cycle before the age of twelve are at an increased risk for developing breast cancer, as are women who go through menopause after the age of fifty-five. Obviously you cannot control your menstruation cycles, but you can be careful if you fall into these categories. Long periods of hormone replacement therapy and use of birth control pills both increase levels of hormones in the body. Try to take natural remedies to ease menopause symptoms or take low levels of hormone replacement for the shortest amount of time possible. Birth control pills with lower hormone levels are becoming increasingly available, and the benefits outweigh the risks for most women. If you have a child after the age of thirty-five, your risk for developing breast cancer slightly increases, as does not having any children at all. If you are overweight or obese, your risk increases because fat tissue retains higher levels of estrogen in the body. Obviously smoking and drinking alcohol of any kind increase your risk.

Most doctors recommend no alcohol or no more than one alcoholic beverage per day. Be sure to do regular self-breast examinations and get mammograms starting at the age that is recommended by your doctor. Women who undergo breast enhancement surgery may have unclear mammograms. Also, if a woman has had breast enlargement surgery with silicone or saline implants, a mammogram will be more difficult to read. Certain medications and environmental pesticides have been linked to breast cancer. It is best to limit your exposure to pesticides and not take medication (especially antibiotics) unless it is absolutely necessary. Pay attention to any unusual changes in your breasts and get yearly gynecological exams. Many women are unsatisfied with their breast shape and size because of our society’s focus on breasts. Women often get breast enlargement surgery because of feelings of insecurity. Natural breast enhancement has also become a big business. To maintain clear, soft skin of course it is best to always use sunscreen and moisturizer on your chest and cleavage. Also, wear a well-fitted, supportive bra to maintain firmness and roundness and for optimal breast enhancement. A good bra also reduces sagging of the breasts. Some women find they need to be professionally measured and fitted to find the correct bra size. If you can follow at least some of our guidelines, it will help you to achieve optimal breast health.

Must Know Facts About Ovarian Cancer

Do you find yourself searching for facts about ovarian cancer?

Well here are a couple quick facts for you.

The ovaries belong to the female reproductive system and produce eggs each month during the reproductive years of a woman. You will find that they are located on either side of the woman’s lower abdomen. Ovarian cancer occurs when the cells in the ovary divide and grow in an uncontrollable fashion. The cells may form a tumor on the woman’s ovary or the cells may even break off from the main body and spread to other body parts.

What is the risk of a woman contacting ovarian cancer? It is about 1 in 67.

The risk of getting this type of cancer and dying from it is 1 in 95.

It is the eighth most common cause of cancer in women, excluding skin cancer. Wouldn’t it be well worth your while to be checked out every year whether you notice a problem or not? It would bring peace of mind if nothing else.

There is no way to control how crazily Ovarian cancer cells grow and multiply out of control. These out of control cells form a tumor depriving healthy surrounding cells of much-needed oxygen and nutrients that they require for survival and maximum function. An ovarian tumor can be in just one or in both of the ovaries. Not all tumors are malignant, but if they are that means that they can spread to other organs and tissues of the body which is a process called metastasis.

There are 4 types of ovarian cancers: Epithelial, stromal, germ cell and metastatic tumors.

While testing for ovarian cancer other cell masses can be discovered that are non-cancerous such as abscesses, infections, fibroids, cysts, polycystic ovaries, endometriosis related masses, and also ectopic pregnancies.

Roughly 80% of all ovarian cancers are epithelial in nature and are the most commonly found in menopausal women.

In 10% of ovarian cancer cases, stromal tumors may occur. Surgical removal of the affected ovary is usually all the treatment that is needed unless the cancer has spread.

Tumors that develop from the cells that develop into the ova (the woman’s eggs) develop into germ cell tumors. This type of ovarian cancer usually results in infertility in the woman.

Usually only 5% of ovarian cancers will spread to other body parts but when they do spread most of the time the cancer spreads to the colon, breast, stomach or pancreas.

If a woman’s mother, sister or daughter has ovarian cancer than she has a 5% risk of getting it too. If she has two close relatives (mother, sister, daughter) with ovarian cancer she then has a 50% risk of getting the disease.

There are many risk factors a woman may have for ovarian cancer besides family history including exposure to asbestos, exposure of the genitals to talc, certain virus exposure like that of mumps, being of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, or of European (white) heritage, having used fertility drugs without a successful pregnancy, age greater than 50 years and women who have never had any children.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer

The first symptoms in thinking that something may be wrong are similar to indigestion and gastrointestinal illness. This makes the diseases hard to diagnose. Due to this fact, many women are not diagnosed until the ovarian cancer has already made headway.

Sign and various symptoms that may suggest ovarian cancer are:

?general abdominal discomfort, pain
?diarrhea, nausea, constipation and frequent urination
?the loss of one’s appetite
?feeling full even only after eating a light meal
?Weight loss or gain for no known reason
?Abnormal bleeding from the vaginal area may occur as a late symptom

Risk factors for ovarian cancer

There are no known causes for ovarian cancer. However, certain studies show that an increased risk of the disease of the following may increase the chance of getting this disease:

?Family history – If your mother, daughter or sister has had the disease, you are at greater risk of getting ovarian cancer.

?Age – Most ovarian cancers will occur in women who are over 50 years of age. The highest risk comes in women who are over 60.

?Non-childbearing – Women who have never experienced the miracle of birth. The fact is, the more children a woman has, the less likely it is that she will develop ovarian cancer.

?Personal history – Those women who have had colon or breast cancer may find themselves at greater risk.

?Obesity – Obese women experience a higher death rate from ovarian cancer.

?Fertility drugs – These may slightly increase a woman’s risk to ovarian cancer.

Treatment:

There are various types of treatment for ovarian cancer consisting of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. There is local therapy, which consists of surgery and radiation therapy. The local treatment removes or destroys the cancer. Local therapy can be used to destroy cancer in specific body parts.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy uses a thin tube to deliver the chemotherapy to the abdomen and pelvis.

The physician uses Systemic chemotherapy to destroy or control cancer throughout the body. This is injected into a vein or delivered orally.

Side effects are common no matter which type of treatment is used because the treatments destroy not just the cancer cells but healthy cells as well. The severity and kind of side effect will depend on the kind and on the length of treatment. Not everyone who receives the same treatment will experience the same side effects.

I hope that these basic facts about ovarian cancer were useful to you.