Diseases

Breast Cancer : Explained in Detail

Chetan Bhawani — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 03:22:49 +0000

Introduction
Breast Cancer is a form of cancer that occurs in the breast tissue. Although the breast is made up of similar tissues in both males and females, breast cancer occurs mostly in females.

Causes
Like other cancers, breast cancer is an uncontrollable growth of breast cells, and is caused due to the mutation of certain genes present in your breast cells. This mutation can either be genetically inherited, i.e. it might have come from your parents, or it happened during changes in your body, like aging or due to life in general. Breast Cancer can also occur due to hormonal changes in the body, like during menopause.

Types of Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers can be divided into four types based on the location they occur and whether it is a local one or not.

1. Ductal Carcinoma in Situ, or DCIS
2. Lobular Carcinoma in situ or LCIS
3. Invasive Ductal Carcinoma or IDC
4. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma or ILC

Breast Cancer normally occurs either in the milk duct (Ductal), or in the lobules (Lobular) or glands that make milk. Both can either be �in situ�, meaning it remains where it started and does not spread, or it may be �invasive�, meaning it spreads into the surrounding tissues. Carcinoma is a word used for any cancer that begins in the skins or tissues covering internal organs.

Early Detection
There are no ways to prevent breast cancer. However, breast cancer can be treated effectively if it is detected in an early stage. Self Breast Examination for lumps and unusual changes should be carried out each month, preferably at the same time each month to minimize effects of menstruation. A clinical breast examination should be done once every year from ages 29 � 39, and once every year from the age of 40.

Diagnosis
Primary diagnosis is done using mammography, an x-ray of the breast. If breast cancer is suspected or diagnosed, this is followed by MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET Scans.

Treatment
The main form of treatment used for Breast Cancer is surgery. Depending on the size of the tumour, it can be lumpectomy, also known as breast conserving surgery, where only the tumour is removed, or mastectomy, where the entire breast is removed. Both forms of surgery are usually followed by radiotherapy, which is a form of treatment by exposure to radiation, to stop the cancer from spreading. Another major form of treatment is chemotherapy, where treatment is done through various forms of drugs. These drugs interfere with the growth of cancer cells, and thus help curing cancer. Breast cancer can also be treated using hormone therapy, using chemicals to stop activities of certain hormones. Hormone therapy can only be used if the cancer cells are responsive to hormones, and have varied side effects, ranging from vaginal dryness and weak bones to infertility. Even after effective removal of Breast Cancer, patients should be in constant touch with the physician to make sure that the cancer does not return.

Chetan Bhawani is a medical consultant and gives regularly Helpful Health Tips and provides health Information.

Acromegaly : Overgrowth Condition in Humans

Chetan Bhawani — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 03:21:14 +0000

*Introduction :
Any Chemical released from the Pituitary gland induces physical activities or changes in the body. Pituitary gland is an
endocrine gland present in the brain.

The release of chemical from the gland in a moderate quantity leads to correct growth of the human body. But if the release
of the chemicals that induces the growth increases, then size of the bones increases and also results in the increase of the
growth of soft tissues. This results to many abnormalities in the human body.

The hormone or chemical that induces growth is called as Growth Hormone or Somatotropin. Excess of release of this hormone
from the pituitary gland will cause an alteration in the use of nutrients in the body. In children as the bones are still in
the growing condition, these changes will cause more and more growth of the bones and this is called as Gigantism.
And in adults, after the bone formation has stopped, this change can cause an abnormality which is called as Acromegaly.

*Description :
Acromegaly is a rare condition caused in a very few people i.e. one person per 20,000 people can experience this abnormality.
This is common in males and females. The identification is not easy for middle aged people till extreme conditions are
observed.

*Cause of the Abnormality :
Pituitary gland is present at the base of the brain which release a number of chemicals that are responsible for many
functional activities of the systems and organs of the body. The hormones are released and travel throughout the body and are
mainly involved in the growth and reproductive activities.

A Gland called Hypothalamus which is present on the base of the brain regulates the secretion of the pituitary. It induces or
stops the release of hormones from the pituitary by releasing hormones and sending to the pituitary gland. Growth Hormone
Releasing Hormone(GHRH) is released from the hypothalamus which induces and also stops pituitary gland to release hormones.

In the liver, growth hormone produces IGF-1 called “Insulin-like Growth Factor-1″ which is responsible for the growth
throughout the body. In the condition of Acromegaly, the pituitary refuses to stop the Growth hormone which leads to increase
in the levels of IGF-1 andthe body now loses the capacity to produce and utilise the nutrients.

*Conditions :
Induvidual’s hands and feets grows more than normal, and they become thicker.
The conditions on the face also change i.e. the nose, jaws become large and the teeth are spread more wider. Tongue also
becomes larger. These changes on the face are called as “Coarsening”. the voice of that person becomes Deep and develop
Snoring.

*Symptoms :
-Profused sweating
-Skin becomes Oily
-Body hair increases
-Blood Pressure increases
-Calcium increases in the urine
-Risk of Gallstones increases
-Swelling of thyroid glands
-Patients often suffer from headache.

Important cause : In about 90% of the patients, it is seen that a non-cancerous tumuor occurs in the pituitary gland, it is
called as Pituitary Adenoma. And it is a major factor that causes Acromegaly.

How Does Pituitary Adenoma cause Acromegaly :
The tumuor increases in size and presses the adjacent structures present in the brain which cause headache, and also effects
the vision. This may damage the pituitary tissues and also brings changes in the production of the hormones and due to this,
the Growth Hormones are released in excess. And so this results in Acromegaly.
Also due to this, the sexual drive in the males and females decreases and brings changes in menstrual cycle in the females.

The condition if not treated, can cause an early death of the person as this would effect lungs, heart, brain, and also cause
Cancer in the large intestine.

Chetan Bhawani is a medical consultant and gives regularly Helpful Health Tips and provides health Information.

ChikunGunya Attack in India

Chetan Bhawani — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 03:17:45 +0000

ChikunGunya is a new Viral disease occuring in the states of India and vector Aedes mosquito carries the pathogen through the affectives. This disease was confused to be an infection after the Bird Flu But this disease has no relation with the Chickens.

Its an emerging epidemic in India occuring in a few states in India currently.
Chikun gunya actually means Stopped walk caused by an Arbovirus. The vector for this disease is the Aedes Mosquito (sps. egypti) the same vector for the Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever.
This disease was confused to be an infection after the Bird Flu But this disease has no relation with the Chickens. This disease is also called as Chik.

Mortality due to this is not much but it causes Morbidity.
The most vulnerable are Children and Pregnants.

The Symptoms :
The Disease starts with sudden fever going upto 102 F. Then Stiffness in the Muscles, myalgia and the the most effecting Pain in the Joints. And the Small joints are Usually Swelled up.
The Normal Symptoms persist usually upto 3 days but in a few cases, they may be upto 2 weeks.
Platelet Count in the body decrease till the disease persist. Nuetropenia also occurs some times.

Chetan Bhawani is a medical consultant and gives regularly Helpful Health Tips and provides health Information.