Learn About the Side Effects of Cervical Cancer Treatment
Once treatment has concluded, depending on the type of treatment and the stage that the cervical cancer was in, you will most likely feel some side effects. Here are a few, based on the three most common treatments: surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Surgery: It takes time to heal after surgery, and the recovery time is different for each woman. You may be uncomfortable for the first few days. However, medicine can usually control the pain. Before surgery, you should discuss the plan for pain relief with your doctor or nurse. After surgery, your doctor can adjust the plan if you need more pain relief. If you have surgery to remove a small tumor on the surface of the cervix, you may have cramping or other pain, bleeding, or a watery discharge. If you have a hysterectomy, the length of the hospital stay may vary from several days to a week. You may also experience hot flashes and menopause occurs immediately. It is common to feel tired or weak for a while, you may also have bladder and bowel problems. The doctor may restrict your diet to liquids at first, with a gradual return to solid food. Most women return to their normal activities within 4 to 8 weeks after surgery. Radiation therapy: Side effects depend mainly on the dose of radiation and the part of your body that is treated. Radiation to the abdomen and pelvis may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or urinary problems. You may lose hair in your genital area. Also, your skin in the treated area may become red, dry, and tender. You may have dryness, itching, or burning in your vagina. The radiation may also make your vagina narrower. Although the side effects of radiation therapy can be distressing, your doctor can usually find ways to relieve them. Chemotherapy: The side effects of chemotherapy depend mainly on the specific drugs and the dose. The drugs affect cancer cells and other cells that divide rapidly: Chemotherapy can cause a poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, or mouth and lip sores. Chemotherapy can cause you to lose your hair. The hair will grow back, but it may be somewhat different in color and texture.
Thursday, October 23, 2008 | 0 Comments
Signs and Symptoms of Skin Cancer
cojeyqtTypically, the form of cancer to strike people than any other is skin Cancer. All skin types can develop this but it is predominately found in fair-skinned people. Too much time spent in the sun is the main cause of skin cancer due to the ultraviolet radiation. Avoiding overexposure to the sun and identifying the signs early are the two best ways to prevent skin cancer. The three major causes are environment, heredity, and ultraviolet light damage to the skin. This occurs mostly in children and teenagers. Studies show adults receive half of their lifetime ultraviolet exposure when they are 20 years old.
Our skin is the largest organ of our body. It protects our internal organs from injury, acts as a barrier between those organs and bacteria, and prevents the loss of valuable fluid from our body. It also regulated body temperature and communicates to the brain to allow for temperature, touch, and pain sensations. You can see why it is important to keep our skin healthy and free from any signs or symptoms. The majority of skin cancers are classified as non-melanoma or melanoma.
Non-melanoma will develop on those areas of the body that are the most exposed to the sun. The early signs appear on the body, face, ears, neck, lips, and the backs of our hands is where it would be found. These signs rarely spread to another part of the body.
Signs can be one extreme to the next, either the cancer can be slow growing or grow at a rapid rate.
Melanoma, which is common, begins in the cells that produce the skin pigment or coloring known as melanin. Melanin also protects the deepest layers of the skin from harmful radiation from the sun. Melanoma accounts for a small percentage, but it is far more dangerous and life threatening than non-melanoma. The chances of surviving melanoma skin cancer are better if it is caught in the earliest stage.
The signs include family history of skin cancer, multiple moles, a fair complexion, exposure to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, and radium, and severe sunburn as a child.
Your body will show early signs of symptoms, and both patients and doctors play an important role in finding signs of skin cancer. If you believe you have signs or have any change on the skin, consult your doctor. Any change can be a sign of skin cancer, like the size and color of a mole, or a growth that is darkly pigmented, or a new growth on the skin. If you have a change in the appearance of any bump or nodule, or if you have oozing, bleeding or scaling of the skin you should contact your doctor. Another sign to look for is if the color of the pigmentation spreads beyond the border of a mole or mark. Another sign would be a change in sensations to your skin, for example, itchiness, tenderness, or pain, it's time to go to your doctor.
What is important to know is it can be prevented by watching for any of these signs. Avoid the sun for extended periods of time and make sure to practice sun safety. If you fear that you have signs of skin cancer symptoms, avoid the sun altogether between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM. Try to stay in the shade especially when rays are the strongest. To protect your skin from the sun rays it is helpful to wear a long sleeved shirt.
If you show any of the signs, using sunscreen is important when you are going to be in the sun. Using a sunscreen of SPF 15 or above when outdoors will help you protect your skin from skin cancer. Use sunscreen generously and always reapply if you have been in the water, are heavily perspiring, or have recently toweled off.
For prevention of developing signs wear a hat this will keep your face, ears, and neck shaded and provide some protection. A wide-brimmed hat is the best choice but if you are wearing a baseball cap, remember to protect your ears and neck with sunscreen.
Your eyes also need protection from developing signs. The best protection for the eyes and surrounding skin is to wear sunglasses. Sunglasses with 99-100 percent UV absorption are recommended when you are in the sun.
Protect yourself, and alert your doctor if you think you may be developing any signs of skin cancer.
Read MoreWednesday, October 15, 2008 | 0 Comments
Melanoma Skin Cancer
Most people will have heard of Melanoma, and automatically link it with skin cancer. This though is often the limit of most people's knowledge. Surprisingly enough it is one of the rarest forms of skin cancer but is also one of the most deadly forms.
Melanoma comes about from an unwanted growth of melanocytes, which are pigment cells. It is an especially dangerous form of skin cancer as it makes up three quarters of all skin cancer deaths each and every year. This equates to about fifty thousand deaths every year, out of one hundred and sixty thousand cases diagnosed globally each year. Melanoma is predominantly found in Caucasian males, especially those who live in sunny climates, although it is not unknown for it to be diagnosed in other racial groups.
Even amongst Caucasian males it is possible to minimize risks of having Melanoma, and is as simple as avoiding ultraviolet forms of radiation, be it from direct sunlight or the use of sun beds. If out in the sun then plenty of sun screens should be applied and protective clothing should be worn, things like long sleeve t-shirts and trousers.
It is possible to undertake a limited form of self diagnosis if you feel that there is a chance that you have Melanoma. This normally involves the following of an ABCDE mnemonic; Asymmetrical mole (irregular shaped), Border irregular, Color - multiple colored mole, Diameter - large moles over half a centimeter are considered to be at greater risk, Evolution - the changing shape and color of a mole.
If you think you may have Melanoma then a trip to the doctors is recommended, as surgery to remove the cells can be scheduled if required. Most doctors will have some training in identifying Melanoma and will pass you to a specialist if needed.
The treatment for Melanoma is normally the removal of the tumor and then some form of chemo or radiation therapy to kill off any remaining cancerous cells. Melanoma isn't just a form of skin cancer though as it can also be found as a tumor of melanocytes in the eye or bowel as well.
It is something that should have more publicity and many annual deaths from Melanoma could be avoided with early diagnosis. There has been much done in recent year to highlight the dangers of sunbathing without providing information about what the actual signs are. Early diagnosis of Melanoma, as with any disease, is the best way to prevent any serious consequences.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 | 0 Comments
