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Here's what you need to know about the cancers that affect women most:


LUNG CANCER

Cases per year: 11,300

Deaths: 9,200

Symptoms: Persistent cough, breathing problems, chest pain, coughing up blood, persistent hoarse voice, frequent chest infections, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite.

Screening methods: There is no general early screening method.

X-rays may detect early signs of the disease but also produce many false-positive results. The Princess Margaret Hospital is involved in an early lung cancer screening study that involves smokers and ex-smokers over 50 and uses low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans, which can show tumours in the very early stages when they are most treatable. The scans show several hundred, 1-mm-thin cross-section images of the lungs from top to bottom; a conventional X-ray only shows two views of the chest.

Risk factors: Smoking, exposure to asbestos, arsenic or radon gas, family history of lung cancer, exposure to air pollution.

Treatment: May include one or more of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, laser therapy, photodynamic therapy.

Latest research: A study funded in part by the Canadian Cancer Society has identified a set of 15 genes that may predict the aggressiveness of an early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer and identify those patients who might benefit from chemotherapy after surgery. The findings suggest that patients without this set of genes have a less aggressive cancer and could be spared chemotherapy.


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BREAST CANCER

Cases per year: 22,400

Deaths: 5,300

Symptoms: Lump in breast or armpit, changes in breast size or shape, skin changes on breast, redness or swelling in the affected breast, inverted nipple, crusting or scaling on the nipple.

Screening: Mammography (once every two years recommended for women ages 50 to 69); clinical breast examination (once every two years recommended for women over 40); self-examination. Women with family history of breast cancer should ask doctor about a personal plan.

Risk factors: Family history of breast or ovarian cancer, early menstruation, late menopause, having taken hormone replacement therapy for more than five years, never having given birth, giving birth for the first time over the age of 30, dense breast tissue, increased number of non-cancerous cells in the breast, radiation treatment to the chest before age 30, being over 50. Obesity, alcohol consumption and use of birth control pills may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer.

Treatment: Depends on type and stage of cancer and may involve combination of therapies. A lump-ectomy removes the tumour while conserving most of the breast. A mastectomy removes the entire breast and sometimes the lymph nodes. Radiation is used to treat many stages of breast cancer and is frequently used after a lumpectomy. Chemotherapy is used on many stages of breast cancer. Hormonal therapy is used if tumour is hormone-receptor positive. Biological therapy uses drugs to help the body's immune system fight cancer. Herceptin treats human epidermal growth-factor-positive tumours.

Latest research: Research funded by the Canadian Cancer Society includes: assessing the type of information patients require about complementary therapies, use of MRI to detect if cancer has spread, investigating whether combining various anti-cancer drugs can activate genes that prevent spread.


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COLORECTAL CANCER

Cases per year: 9,700

Deaths: 4,100

Symptoms: Change in bowel habits, bloody stool, diarrhea or constipation, narrower than usual stools, general abdominal dis- comfort, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, vomiting.

Screening: Fecal occult blood test every two years for those over 50.

Risk factors: Polyps, family history of colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, high-fat diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, Ashkenazi descent.

Treatment: May include one or more of the following: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy where the immune system is strengthened to boost its defences against the disease. Biological drugs can also target the cancer cells without damaging benign ones.

Latest research: Studies are being conducted into the effects of vitamin D, selenium and calcium on people with polyps. Research includes investigating links between a diet low in vitamin B1 and colon cancer risk, and how anti-cancer treatments might block genetic changes within cells.


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THYROID CANCER

Cases per year: 3,400

Deaths: 110

Symptoms: A lump in front of the neck, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, hoarseness, difficulty speaking, swallowing or breathing, persistent pain in the throat or neck.

Screening: Physical examination of lymph nodes, blood tests for abnormal levels of thyroid stimulating hormone, ultrasound for examining tiny thyroid nodules, thyroid scans.

Risk factors: Exposure of thyroid gland to radiation, history of thyroid conditions such as goiture and thyroid nodules, family history of thyroid cancer.

Treatment: May include: surgery, radioactive iodine therapy, external beam radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or a combination of these.

Latest research: Recent identification of the genetic causes of inherited thyroid cancer now makes it possible to identify family members carrying the abnormal gene. Other studies involve new chemotherapy drugs which attack specific targets on cancer cells.


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UTERINE CANCER

Cases per year: 4,200

Deaths: 790

Symptoms: Unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge, pain during intercourse, pelvic pain.

Screening: There is no general early screening method for uterine cancer. The PAP test can occasionally detect early instances of the disease, but most cases are not found through this test.

Risk factors: Being over 50, hormone replacement therapy consisting of estrogen without progesterone, obesity, late menopause, early first menstruation, diabetes, infertility, hypertension, use of the drug tamoxifen.

Treatment: Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes) and removal of lymph nodes, radiation; hormonal therapy, chemotherapy.

Latest research: Australian research has been conducted into the role of heredity in uterine cancer and the connection between a family history of breast or ovarian cancer and an increased risk of developing uterine cancer. Other research includes: analyzing the molecular structure of cancer cells, studying the role of lifestyle in the development of uterine cancers, determining if hormone replacement therapy is safe for uterine cancer survivors.


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PANCREATIC CANCER

Cases per year: 1,950

Deaths: 1,950

Symptoms: Few warning signs in early stages. Vague discomfort that comes and goes in the abdomen, pain in the upper abdomen and back, yellowing of skin, eyes and dark urine, leg swelling, increased blood sugar that can cause thirst, frequent urination, unusual weight loss, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, recurring infections, cuts and bruises that are slow to heal, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet; digestive problems such as indigestion, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, fatty stools, flatulence, intolerance of fatty or greasy foods, bloating, belching and persistent hiccups.

Screening: None.

Risk factors: Age over 50, smoking, diet low in vegetables, fruit and fibre, obesity, workplace exposure to gasoline manufacturing process, family history of cancer.

Treatment: Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy.

Latest research: American researchers are using light-scattering techniques to detect changes in the small intestine caused by the disease. It is hoped this will enable physicians to effectively screen for pancreatic cancer.


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NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA

Cases per year: 3,200

Deaths: 1,400

Symptoms: Enlarged, usually painless lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin, unexplained weight loss, excessive sweating at night, unexplained fever, general unwell feeling, fatigue.

Screening: None.

Risk factors: Aging, weak immune system, autoimmune disorders, immunodeficiency disorders, HIV/AIDS, viral infections, prolonged exposure to pesticides, herbicides, solvents or fertilizers, previous radiation or chemotherapy.

Treatment: May include one or more of the following: chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy using rituximab (Rituxan) or alemtuzumab (Campath), stem cell transplantation.

Latest research: Ongoing research into new or non-traditional chemotherapy drugs, such as bortezomib and thalidomide, or on new ways to combine drugs. Research also being conducted into the use of biological therapies such as rituximab, which targets lymphoma cells to the exclusion of other cells. Other areas of research include improvements in bone marrow and peripheral blood cell transplant methods, investigations into possible vaccines which would boost immune reactions. Vaccines in late stage clinical trials include MyVax and BiovaxlD.


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OVARIAN CANCER

Cases per year: 2,500

Deaths: 1,700

Symptoms: Persistent and/or vague abdominal discomfort such as lower abdominal or pelvic pressure, pain, bloating or swelling, change in bowel habits, feeling full after a light meal, indigestion, flatulence, upset stomach, a feeling that bowel has not emptied, nausea, fatigue, lower back pain, leg pain, frequent or urgent urination, abnormal vaginal bleeding, menstrual disorders, pain during intercourse.

Screening: None.

Risk factors: Personal or family history of ovarian, breast, colon, uterine or pancreatic cancers, use of hormone replacement therapy (especially estrogen-only therapy), age over 50, never having been pregnant. Other possible risk factors being studied include the use of fertility drugs, certain types of diet, smoking, the use of talcum powder on the genitals, and a combination of early menstruation and late menopause.

Treatment: May include one or more of the following: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation.

Latest research: New drugs are expected to emerge from research into the genes responsible for familial ovarian cancer. In the United States and United Kingdom, research is underway into more effective methods of screening for the disease, including transvaginal ultrasounds, CA 125 testing and pelvic examination.


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CERVICAL CANCER

Cases per year: 1,300

Deaths: 380

Symptoms: Abnormal vaginal bleeding, bleeding between regular menstrual periods, bleeding after sex, pain during intercourse, longer and heavier menstrual periods, bleeding after menopause, more discharge from vagina than normal, lower back or pelvic pain.

Screening: Sexually active women should have a Pap test every 1 to 3 years.

DNA tests for HPV have been shown to be more accurate than Pap tests in women over 30 years of age; however, this test is not available in all provinces, is not part of regular screening and is used in addition to, not as a replacement for, regular Pap testing.

Risk factors: Infection of the cervix with human papillomavirus (HPV), early sexual activity, having many sexual partners or a sexual partner who has had many partners, smoking, having a weak immune system, prolonged use of birth control pills, giving birth often, previous use of DES or having a mother who used it.

Treatment: May include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy.

Latest research: Two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, prevent infection by HPV and were approved for use in Canada in 2006.

Research is ongoing into more effective screening methods: liquid-based Pap tests show more promise than the currently used Pap smears.

More research is needed on how the DNA HPV test can best be included in screening programs.


All case figures are 2008 estimates for Canada from the Canadian Cancer Society

Compiled by Star Library

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/504715

Replies sorted oldest to newest

quote:
Originally posted by chameli:
3 yes ago, my GY neighbour died on May 3rd...shortly b4 her 50th b;day....
she knew something was wrong for about 5 mths but did not go to the Dr.
when she went in March, it was toooooooooo lateFrown


PLEASE GET CHKD...men get breast cancer too...Frown


Cham when this girl(she was my bro's student, also) died, she & her hubby had just celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

Now, nah men do not get breast cancer according to an exGNIer... Big Grin

I mentioned that about 4-5 yrs ago.. an ex-GNIer tried to contradict me...Smile
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Mitwah:
My friend's wife just had a lupectomy. The surgeon indicated that she might just need radiation treatemnt, but when she met with the oncolgist a few days ago, he is recommending, chemo, hormonal and radiation. She is now confused and depressed.


She needs to to talk to others who went thru this & also to talk to a Psychologist...
FM
Amral thanks for putting the bb in dedication of cancer awareness.

I know the color is a bit painful to the eyes Smile but it's a reminder that anyone can become a victim of this deadly disease.

Just a reminder that as much as people will sympathise and give there love and support to the person who got struck with the disease, it's only that person going through all the treatment and horrible ordeal of recovery can really feel the pain and suffering.

Their life will never be normal again. Yes, they can be a survior but always wondering.

Family members and friends also suffer in tears when their loved one cannot eat a morsel of food because of mouth sores. Or their loved one is up all night because of all the drugs in their body.

The nausea, fevers, the aches and pain from additional drugs needed to counteract side effects and the list goes on.

A doctor who recently was on TV had a double masectomy and she said she never knew what it was like until it got her.

What is also interesting, I recently witnessed at least 6 guyanese (male and female) at a hospital receiving cancer treatment for various forms of cancer.

I think the Cancer Society raised over $5 million dollars and research and technology has come a long way. A person diagnosed with cancer 20 years ago stood a slimer chance of surving than today(unless it's terminal).

Thanks to those GNIers who supported my friends on the links I attached. Much appreciated flag
FM
Breast cancer ˜jab within reach'


LONDON: Enough is known about the causes of breast cancer to make a vaccine or prophylactic drug a real possibility, a leading cancer expert said.
Professor Valerie Beral of Oxford University, who leads the Million Women's Study into the causes of the disease, said the study had put beyond doubt what had long been guessed - that many breast cancers are caused by the absence of hormonal changes connected with childbirth. Beral challenged the scientific community to turn its efforts to preventing breast cancer.
While money and effort is poured into better drug treatments, hardly anyone is working on prevention.
In an interview, she said that while death rates have been slashed by new drugs and earlier diagnosis, the number of women getting breast cancer and having to go through traumatic surgery and chemotherapy was rising.
Genes played a part in only a very small number of cancers. The processes of giving birth and breastfeeding protected a woman from breast cancer more than anything else. The more children a woman had and the longer she breastfed, the lower her risk was of later contracting breast cancer.
Women in developed countries where small families are the norm have six times the breast cancer risk of those in rural parts of Asia with large families. Returning to an era where women had endless babies and breastfed for two years or more at a time was not an option, Beral said. "But why aren't we thinking of mimicking the effects of childbirth?" she said.
"We don't know how this happens and nobody is doing research on it. We should be looking at hormone production during late pregnancy and lactation."
Beral is director of the cancer epidemiology unit of Oxford University. Her work, funded by Cancer Research UK, uses large amounts of statistical data to identify the traits or behaviour that put women at risk of breast cancer.
She is not a biochemist, but she asked the National Cancer Research Institute's annual conference why the avenue of breast cancer prevention which might lead to a drug or vaccine was not being pursued.
It has already happened in cervical cancer, she pointed out. The discovery that most cervical cancers are caused by the humanpapilloma virus has led to a vaccine which is expected to give women many years of cancer protection. – Guardian News & Media
Pointblank
I've lost my Aunt and my Grandma (both of whom died when I was a baby) to breast cancer. Another Aunt suvived. I've also have a couple of close peeps on the road to recovery as I type and I know although I can't feel their pain or take their suffering for them..they will always be in my thoughts.

It took a long time for me to come to this thread because then it makes it real what the doc said Smile...50 50%chance. It's way too close to home.
FM
quote:
Originally posted by Ani:
thanks amral all all you fine people that contribute to this topic you save me a ton of work .... i am curently pursuing a course in nursing.. and was to do a presentation on cancer... and i got a lot from this today thanks guys


You might have to return some of the favors when you become nurse. We does get sick around here you know. Wink right now me back ah hut me.
FM
It is Never Too Early For Breast Cancer Screening


Pink Ribbon -- For all

A handsome, middle-aged man walked quietly into the cafe and sat down. Before he ordered, he couldn't help but notice a group of younger men at the table next to him. It was obvious they were making fun of something about him, and it wasn't until he remembered he was wearing a small pink ribbon on the lapel of his suit that he became aware of what the joke was all about.

The man brushed off the reaction as ignorance, but the smirks began to get to him. He looked one of the rude men square in the eye, placed his hand beneath the ribbon and asked, quizzically, "This?".

With that the men all began to laugh out loud.

The man he addressed said, as he fought back laughter, "Hey, sorry man, but we were just commenting on how pretty your little ribbon looks against your blue jacket!"

The middle aged man calmly motioned for the joker to come over to his table and invited him to sit down.

As uncomfortable as he was, the guy obliged, not really sure why. In a soft voice, the middle aged man said, "I wear this ribbon to bring awareness about breast cancer.

I wear it in my mother's honor."

"Oh, sorry dude. She died of breast cancer?"

"No, she didn't. She's alive and well. But her breasts nourished me as an infant, and were a soft resting place for my head when I was scared or lonely as a little boy. I'm very grateful for my mother's breasts, and her health."

"Umm", the stranger replied, "yeah".

And I wear this ribbon to honor my wife", the middle aged man went on.

"And she's okay, too?", the other guy asked.

"Oh, yes. She's fine. Her breasts have been a great source of loving pleasure for both of us, and with them she nurtured and nourished our beautiful daughter 23 years ago. I am grateful for my wife's breasts, and for her health."

"Uh huh. And I guess you wear it to honor your daughter, also?"

"No. It's too late to honor my daughter by wearing it now. My daughter died of breast cancer one month ago. She thought she was too young to have breast cancer, so when she accidentally noticed a small lump, she ignored it. She thought that since it wasn't painful, it must not be anything to worry about."

Shaken and ashamed, the now sober stranger said, "Oh, man, I'm so sorry mister".

"So, in my daughter's memory, too, I proudly wear this little ribbon, which allows me the opportunity to enlighten others. Now, go home and talk to your wife and your daughters, your mother and your friends.

And here . . ." The middle-aged man reached in his pocket and handed the other man a little pink ribbon. The guy looked at it, slowly raised his head and asked, "Can you help me put it on?"
Pointblank
I was personally touched by someone who had breast Cancer she was one of my tenant.
It's truly a remarkable story how she and her husband came to be my tenants.
My former tenant had moved out from my basement and I was planning to make the basement into a rec. room.
One afternoon a couple of days after the tenants had moved out I was approached by a someone inquiring about the basement I told him that I my intention.
Two days later after I came home from Masjid my wife told me that we will be renting the basement and proceed to explain about the condition of the lady, she had breast cancer and was due to have surgery in two weeks, to make matter worst the living conditions of her and her husband was very bad, she was living by a very close relative and sleeping in the kitchen between the refrigerator and stove.
So in the end we came to a decision to rent them the basement and help this couple.
We became very close and were there with them during her treatment. My wife does not work so she was able to assist her in her recovery. My wife and I were listed, at the hospital, along with her husband as the only relatives who can make any decisions concerning her.
We saw the pain and suffering that they went through and believe me I would not wish it on my worst enemy.
Her mother wanted nothing to do with her because she became Christian.
We do not choose to be sick. Sickness and Death do not discriminate. We should appreciate our health by helping those who are not as fortunate as us.
Pointblank
October 13, 2008
Lorraine Sommerfeld
http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/516408
The phone rang too early on a recent Sunday morning.

"It's me. We're doing the `Run' and need to park in your driveway," said my sister, Gillian. Our house is in the middle of the Run for the Cure course. Once a year I am useful.

Since Mom died of breast cancer in 2000, Gilly and her family haven't missed a Run. I have seen her and her husband walk it with a 2-year-old in a stroller; I have seen her do it pregnant, I've seen her do it with a baby strapped to her chest. Her two kids, Katya, 10, and Manuel, 8, know this is something they do every year for Grandma Iris. They know Grandma Iris only from photos.

This is something I should do; I can't, and I don't know why. I write cheques, I hold hands, I cheer on others, but I'm not strong enough to stand there and announce that I'm running for Iris Sommerfeld. I hate this disease, this murderer, this master thief. It has taken my sons' Grandma and made me an orphan. The rage and tears run in equal amounts but my heart soars when I see my little sister channel her own demons as she ties up her running shoes.

"You walking or running?" I asked Gillian.

"The plan was to walk. Then Kat decided a run was in order." She looked up at me through her bangs, her eyes smiling. By her 8th birthday, Katya had twice already cut and donated her long shiny hair to Cuts for Cancer. Manuel was excitedly hauling his father down the street. If childish energy were a cure, we'd have solved this long ago.

With a wave they were gone, the kids hopping and skipping ahead of their parents, too young to think about doing anything as crazy as pacing themselves.

A little later, a radiant Katya came through the door.

"We did it! We ran the whole kilometre!" she announced, as her mother indicated to me with her hand to get her water bottle.

"Where are the lads?" I asked her. She started laughing as she caught her breath.

"Oh, it gets better. Manuel announced at the start to his father that he wanted to do the five-kilometre course." Gilly had an evil twinkle in her eye.

A wonderful friend of mine recently did the Weekend to End Breast Cancer, a 60-kilometre walk. She had been one of my mother's doctors when she died. I asked Jane how she ever walked that far.

"I did okay until I saw signs announcing Hwy 401. That made me realize how huge this was, and how much my feet hurt. Then I remembered your mom, how she struggled to live just one more day, and I kept going. Your mom is still here, Lorraine. Really. I miss her so much."

I will keep getting mammograms, I will keep writing cheques, and next year I will pull on my running shoes. Go to your doctor – mammograms aren't fun (I'm quite sure this isn't the way they test for testicular cancer), but you are doing it for your sisters, your mother, your nieces, your daughters, your friends. Get to know your body, and take better care of it; there are children who haven't even been born who will mourn your loss. I see it every day in the faces of grandchildren who struggle to remember any shred of Grandma Iris.

And to those of you who have participated in the walks and runs, thank you. From the bottom of a shattered heart, thank you.

Lorraine Sommerfeld appears Mondays in Living and Saturdays in Wheels. Reach her via her website lorraineonline.ca.
Amral
I WISH YOU ENOUGH!!!

A mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure..

Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough".

The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to some one knowing it would be forever?".

Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?".

"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.

"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?".

She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone". She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. "When we said , 'I wish you enough', we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them but then an entire life to forget them.


TAKE TIME TO LIVE....


To all , I WISH YOU ENOUGH!!!
Pointblank
Details: Wed 15/10/108 - 08:22:45 AM
Sent by: Mona Amrit
Message: Thank you all kindly for your generous contribution (by sponsoring me) to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Your contribution together with those of my other sponsors totalling $2,115.00 is greatly appreciated by the Foundation and hopefully, someday (soon), a CURE will be found.

Sincerely,
Mona
Amral
Women 'unaware of alcohol threat'

Women do not know about one of the biggest health risks linked to drinking too much - a raised chance of breast cancer, says a survey.

While most knew that excessive alcohol intake could lead to liver disease or liver cancer, fewer than one in five linked it to breast cancer.
There is concern that more women are drinking heavily

The YouGov survey of nearly 2,000 men and women was described as "shocking" by health minister Dawn Primarolo.

An estimated four million UK women drink more than recommended levels.

While there are many different risk factors for developing breast cancer, including family history and obesity, the association between alcohol and breast cancer is well established.

There are more than 45,000 new cases of breast cancer in the UK every year, and the "lifetime risk" of developing it is approximately one in nine.

Women who drink one large glass of wine a day, which means 21 units of alcohol a week compared with the recommended 15, increase this by a fifth.

Drinking two glasses a night boosts it by a third, while three big glasses mean more than a 50% increase.



False beliefs

The survey found that 82% of women were not aware of the connection, compared with 95% who did link it to liver disease, and 71% who were aware it raised the risk of liver cancer.

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said: "It's shocking, even for me, to see the potential risks of drinking over recommended guidelines in black and whilte.

"One large glass of 12% wine takes a woman to her recommended daily limit in just one drink."

The concern is echoed by charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, whose own research last year found that women were unaware of the underlying causes of breast cancer, falsely believing that most cases were due to family history rather than lifestyle or other factors.

Dr Sarah Cant, from the charity, said: "Although many factors might affect our risk of getting breast cancer, limiting how much we drink is one thing we can do to try to reduce that risk - it's never too late to change your drinking habits."

Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said: "We know that women are more likely than men to buy their alcohol in supermarkets.

"With wine being the alcoholic drink of choice for most women who do drink, we are seeing many supermarkets responding to this and selling heavily discounted wine, with Tesco offering some bottles for ÂĢ3 or three bottles for ÂĢ10.

"Alcohol generally is some 65% more affordable today than in 1980.

"As levels of consumption are found to be related to affordability of alcohol, action is urgently needed to stop supermarkets selling alcohol at such low prices."
Mitwah
[QUOTE]Originally posted by chameli:
I do not like that there is so much BLAME! it is hard enough on every woman suffering from this dreadful disease and the above makes them now question where they went wrong...what did they doFrownFrown

Mits, if alcohol could be the only cause, then i am safe (i rarely have more than two drinks ever and certainly not even weekly)

and if Vitamin D be the only guarantee, then i safe too...

i know...it is only a dream...no one is safe....there is NO GUARANTEEFrownFrownFrown
------------------------------------------------
Ooops.. I forgot to give my source..

Here it is: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7675843.stm
Mitwah
If I Had My Life To Live Over
by Erma Bombeck
The following was written by the late Erma Bombeck after she found out she had a fatal disease.

If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's".. More "I'm sorrys" ...

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute... look at it and really see it ... live it...and never give it back.

ÂĐ Erma Bombeck
FM
IN MEMORY OF : KARINA NORDENDORF

WE LOVE YOU ,WE MISS YOU REST IN PEACE

These are the colors that represent the different cancers. All you are asked to do is keep this circulating. Even if it's to one more person. In memory of anyone you know that has been struck by cancer.


A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle.
Please Keep The Candle Going!
Amral
The Biggest Breast Cancer Risk Factor That No One Is Talking About By Lucinda Marshall, AlterNet Posted on October 23, 2008, Printed on October 24, 200 http://www.alternet .org/story/ 104014/ During October, women are bombarded with media telling us what we can do
to stop breast cancer. Article after article after television human interest segment informs us about personal risk factors such as smoking and being overweight (although 70 percent of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have none of these factors ) and about genetic risks (which only account for 10 percent of breast cancers.) We are bombarded with stories about the importance of getting mammograms and other tests. Then there are the survivor stories (usually about women much younger, whiter and cover-girl prettier than the average breast cancer survivor) that pull at our heartstrings. But there is very little mention of environmental factors such as auto exhaust, and chemicals like parabens and phthalates http://www.thinkbef oreyoupink. org/Pages/ CosmeticCompanie s.html that we are exposed to every day.
The most deafening silence, however, is about radiation, which is a 100 percent known cause of cancer http://www.nirs. org/press/ 06-30-2005/ 1 . We are exposed to radiation in a variety of ways, through X-rays, CT scans and mammograms, but also by living near a nuclear power plant or having been exposed to weaponry that uses depleted uranium.

Leuren Moret
http://peaceinspace .blogs.com/ nuclear_free_ zone/2007/ 05/leuren_ moret_bi\.html is geoscientist who has been working for a number of years to raise awareness about the dangers of radiation, an issue she became concerned about after hearing Native American women who live near areas where nuclear weapons have been tested talk about cancer and other health problems they are experiencing and by a visit to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Japan. In this interview, she talks about what we know about the relationship between radiation and breast cancer.

Lucinda Marshall: In your recent article http://www.namastep ublishing. co.uk/Population s%20Exposed% 20to%20Envirom\ental%20Uranium. htm published in Namaste magazine, "Populations Exposed to Environmental Uranium: Increased Risk of Infertility and Reproductive Cancers," you wrote about a scientific study that found that "radiation is the only known cause of breast cancer in mice" and about findings that show that Navajo women who live near uranium mining operations have very high rates of breast cancer. What does that tell us about the connection between uranium and radiation and cancer?

Leuren Moret: The scientific study that found "radiation is the only known cause of breast cancer in mice" was conducted at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, home of the Manhattan Project -- the World War II atomic bomb development project which produced the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs -- and where they have been studying the biological/environm ental effects of radiation for 68 years. After billions of dollars in research funds, however, they could never identify the cause of breast cancer in women. The newest published peer-reviewed study http://www.pubmedce ntral.nih. gov/articlerende r.fcgi?artid= 2137136 , by
a Navajo researcher, provides the scientific evidence published by U.S.
government sources that low levels of uranium in drinking water, below EPA drinking water standards, is an estrogen and hormone disruptor. The animal studies are important because we have the same hormones and similar estrogen responses as animals.
Before 1945, cancer mortality was very rare. Large increases in cancer mortality in the past 100 years begin with the Hiroshima and Nagasaki
atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945. A Japanese government map of the major causes of death in Japan from 1899 to 2004 shows that cancer mortality increased rapidly after 1945. With the introduction of each new nuclear technology since 1945 -- atmospheric testing, nuclear power plants, depleted uranium -- it is obvious that ionizing radiation is a major cause of cancer globally, and uranium is a major radioactive component of nuclear weapons, including depleted uranium weapons systems introduced to the battlefield in 1991 in Gulf War I.

This breast cancer map from Centers for Disease Control data (see below illustration) identifies that within a 100-mile radius of nuclear reactors is where two-thirds of all U.S. breast cancer deaths occurred between 1985 and 1989. The map (see below illustration) of nuclear power plants in the U.S. identifies them as the major cause of breast cancer in the U.S., as well as nuclear weapons labs in New Mexico, Idaho, Washington and California. This is further confirmed by the breast cancer clusters identified in Japan and California, which occurred where it rained the day the Chernobyl radiation cloud passed over and the rain deposited the fission products in the environment.
Breast Cancer Deaths (1985-89) and Nuclear Power Plants [breast cancerdeaths] [nuclearpowerplants ]
Marshall: Given that radiation is a known cause of cancer, it is really frustrating to me that it gets so little attention in the popular media's discussion of breast cancer. In fact, most of what we read and hear is focused on finding "the cure" rather than the cause. Why do you think that is?

Moret: Western science was set up and established in London beginning in the 1600s by the Royal Society, to serve the needs of the international bankers and the industrialists. For that reason, much of Western science is actually "politicized science." In the past century, the financier elite were heavily involved in getting rich from world wars and the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) that Western science has developed. The health effects of those WMDs must be hidden from the public or they would catch on to WMDs as the cause of huge increases in chronic illnesses and refuse to pay the taxes that secretly support development of WMDs. The Atomic Energy Commission and the military set up the EPA, NIH, NCI and CDC to hide the health and environmental effects of nuclear technologies from the public. It took me eight years doing research 18 hours a day to discover this truth. The University of California is the main WMD contractor for the international financial elite, and for that reason it will forever be known as "the university that poisoned the world."

The pharmaceutical companies that manufacture breast cancer drugs fund http://www.pharmadi sclose.org/ spgppd/bg070318. html the breast cancer NGOs, so they control the focus in the popular media on finding "the cure." They would be acting against their own best interests if they identified the cause.

We had a monumental battle in the City of Berkeley with a resolution http://toxiclinks. net/Berkeley% 20resolution. html we passed Oct. 10, 2000, naming October as "Stop Cancer Where it Starts Month," which focused on the cause and prevention of cancer, even naming ionizing radiation as a cause. But we did it!
Marshall: It strikes me as quite peculiar that since genetic damage caused by radiation is cumulative over a lifetime that the medical community advocates that women, particularly those with no risk factors, get routine yearly mammograms. I'm also wondering about the use of radiation as a treatment for breast cancer. According to Breast Cancer Fund's "State of the Evidence 2008 http://www.breastca ncerfund. org/site/ pp.asp?c= kwKXLdPaE&b=206137 ,
"Women older than age 55 derive less benefit from radiation therapy in terms of reduced rate of local recurrence and may face increased risks of radiation-induced cardiovascular complications, as well as secondary cancers such as leukemias and cancers of the lung, esophagus, stomach and breast. Using SEER data from the National Cancer Institute, researchers showed a 16-fold increased relative risk of angiosarcoma of the breast and chest wall following irradiation to a primary breast cancer. That seems like an awfully dangerous "cure" to me. Moret: Dr. John W. Gofman http://www.ratical. org/radiation/ CNR/JWGcv. html was a very rare radiation researcher, citizen scientist, and a gift to humanity. He was a physicist and an M.D., and worked on the biological effects of radiation at the Lawrence Livermore Lab until they cut off his research funds and he returned to the UC Berkeley faculty. His books, Preventing Breast Cancer (1996) and Radiation From Medical Procedures in the Pathogenesis of Cancer and Ischemic Heart Disease (1999), are extremely important research works which identify the dangers of ionizing radiation in medical procedures. His work was acknowledged in the recent BEIR VII report by the National Academy of Sciences . His was a rare voice of sanity warning us about the extreme dangers of mammograms. He told me that for every case of breast cancer identified through mammograms, five new cases of breast cancer are caused by the diagnostic use of radiation in mammograms. It sounds like a good way, for the medical industry, to generate repeat business and large profits.
Marshall: I also want to ask you what your thoughts are on the new molecular breast imaging (MBI) test, which is reportedly more effective than mammograms at finding breast cancers in dense breast tissue, but exposes women to 8 to 10 times more radiation than they receive with mammograms.
Moret: If the molecular breast imaging test exposes a woman to 8 to 10 times more radiation than mammograms, and mammograms are known to create five new cases of breast cancer for every case they identify, then it is not an option. I think the best option for women is to regularly practice breast self-exams.
Marshall: It seems to me that if we really want to "cure" breast cancer, we need to work toward preventing it by limiting our exposure to known carcinogens, especially radiation. Can you elaborate on what kind of research needs to be funded and what kinds of policy changes are needed, and steps that we as individuals can take to ensure that we refocus our efforts to end breast cancer?
Moret: I think it is very clear from the data I have gathered from governments around the world, including U.S. government data, that ionizing radiation is the main cause of breast cancer ... and other cancers. The focus now should be on educating the public about how to minimize exposure risk to ionizing radiation. Drinking water and dairy products are the two main pathways of exposure to ionizing radiation. If you Google Video my name, Leuren Moret http://video. google.com/ videosearch? q=leuren% 20moret&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&\ rls=org.mozilla: en-USRed Facefficial&client=firefox- a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv# , there are many interviews and presentations of mine on the Internet providing the information people need to understand more about this issue.
Reverse osmosis filters should be in every home to purify the drinking water and remove radioactive isotopes from the water. The filter systems are about $500, which is very cheap compared to the cost of radiation-caused illnesses. The global atmospheric pollution of Planet Earth with depleted uranium from our radioactive battlefields in Iraq, Yugoslavia and Afghanistan is contaminating drinking water globally. Each day as the depleted uranium bombing continues in faraway countries, the need for an effective water filter system is more important because the uranium is here in two weeks. Uranium levels in Los Angeles drinking water doubled in 2007 alone -- in just one year. Being aware of which dairies are located downwind from nuclear power plants is critical in purchasing dairy products. For example, in California, two main dairy regions are located in the Fresno area, which is directly downwind from Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, and the Imperial Valley area, which is downwind from San Onofre nuclear power plant. The most shocking discovery I made is a dairy industry report http://www.themilkw eed.com/MPC_ Insert.pdf on widespread use of imported contaminated milk protein powder in junk food. Although contaminated with radioactivity, foot and mouth disease, mad cow disease, bubonic plague and drugs, it is imported and used by U.S. food manufacturers. They use it because it increases profits. Most aspects of breast cancer can be linked to profits, unfortunately, rather than a woman's right to have a healthy body. We need to take the profit out of breast cancer.
Lucinda Marshall the founder of the Feminist Peace Network
http://www.feminist peacenetwork. org/ . She has written numerous articles about the corporate conflict implicit in the marketing of breast cancer awareness.
FM
The soy controversyMariam A. Alireza

Due to the recent soy controversy and my readers' inquiries about the bean, I feel impelled to throw light on this issue. Strange enough, it is always the very same story circulating around via e-mail and returning to me for comment.

It is about this young woman who discovered the benefits of soy and decided to apply them to herself, only in an exaggerated fashion. Please pay close attention to what she wrote: "I began to fortify my body with the best and healthiest foods I could find. Tofu was the main ingredient in every healthy dish and I bought Soya milk almost every day and used it for everything from cereal to smoothies or just to drink for a quick snack. I bought Soya muffins, miso soup with tofu, soybeans, soybean sprouts, etc." By flooding her system with phytoestrogens found in soy, she triggered hormonal imbalance. With such soy concentration coming from her diet, she developed health complications. What is the wonder in that?

For centuries, Asians have been enjoying soybean in its various forms of tofu, tempeh, miso, soymilk, and more. Believe it or not, they have less cancer incidents than Westerners, even though they add it to soups, salads, meat and vegetable dishes, snacks, and desserts for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Whereas, modern medicine has only recently recognized the bean's benefits for its protective effects on the heart, bones, and hormonal system. After reviewing 27 clinical trials, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the daily consumption of 25 grams of soy (in Japan 7-11 grams) for lowering cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. This approval only triggered the soybean industry frenzy. Manufacturers rushed to make soy protein concentrates, isolates, and texturized soy proteins part of many baked goods and processed foods like cereals, drinks, energy bars, soy meat and burgers, hydrogenated oil (inflammation-causing trans fat), and smoothie powders. "Concealed" soy (in almost 80 percent of processed foods) has hiked soy consumption to dangerous levels, raising health risks of cancer and thyroid problems. Such abuse caused soy critics to denounce the bean, resulting in conflicting reports and confusion among the public who are still uncertain of the outcome of the ongoing debate.

Because soy contains phytoestrogens (plant derived estrogen), high consumption of its protein, isoflavones, and isolates lead to breast cancer (in lab mice without ovaries). With overconsumption of "hidden" soy in processed foods as well as genetically modified vegetable proteins processed through high heat and pressure like in soy protein isolates, risk of cancer, thyroid disruption, and allergies have risen, alarming consumers.

Compounds known as goitrogens in soy, broccoli, and cauliflower can disturb thyroid functions in susceptible individuals with iodine deficiency. Such compounds also restrict the assimilation of thyroid medication and block thyroid hormone-producing enzymes.

However, numerous studies suggest that soy is heart friendly through decreasing blood fat levels, reducing blood pressure, and dilating blood vessels. Soybean's other boon for the heart is its omega-3 fatty acids, also found in fatty fish and walnuts. Phytosterols in soy have two compounds, sterols and stanols; both are structurally like cholesterol. They race to plug cholesterol receptors in cells, blocking the way for bad fats and deterring the re-absorption of cholesterol, which circulates back with liver bile, thus reducing cholesterol by 5 to 10 percent. In trials, phytosterols also enhanced immunity in HIV patients. Studies indicate that soy protein in food relieves some menopausal symptoms without disrupting the body's hormones, unlike isolates.

Finally in order to reap soy benefits, eat it moderately within a balanced diet. The Arabic saying reminds us that "Abuse gives opposite effects." Water, for example, is necessary for survival, but excess intake can overwork the kidneys and dilute nutrients. Therefore, moderation is the key to health.

Soybean is a healthy legume; it is not in your health interest to be deprived of its benefits because of misconceptions or misuse. Isolated supplements should be avoided unless absolutely necessary or prescribed, but whole unprocessed soy foods are healthy in reasonable portions. Its healthiest form is the fermented one, tempeh and miso. Fermentation improves its digestibility and degrades phytic acid content, which reduces nutrient assimilation (zinc, calcium, and magnesium) and cause painful gases. Mixing soy with other proteins, adding seeds like cumin, fennel, and anise, and soaking the bean overnight mitigate its unpleasantness. However, should you have health risks (predisposition to cancer, thyroidism, or allergies) replace soy with fish, chicken, turkey, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Otherwise, enjoy your soy like a billion plus Asians do!
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