Breast cancer is a major health threat to women around the world. The number of women affected by breast cancer is shooting up every year. The sad thing is early diagnosis and treatment can lead to an almost 100 per cent cure rate among those affected by this illness.

Often the problem is not the unavailability of treatment for breast cancer, but late diagnosis. Awareness of the symptoms of breast cancer is the only way to assure that every person with the disease will get an early diagnosis. Many charities and cancer foundations have launched breast cancer awareness programs with this fact in mind.

The mass appeal of the LiveStrong yellow cancer bracelets from the Lance Armstrong foundation led breast cancer foundations to launch the breast cancer awareness bracelets. Pink was chosen as the color for these bracelets as an expression of the feminine character. Currently millions of dollars are being generated from the sale of pink ribbons and breast cancer awareness bracelets, which is going towards supporting cancer research and for spreading awareness of the disease.

What makes breast cancer insidious is that there are no clear cut symptoms or criteria that help predict this illness. It doesn’t matter if you have a family history or not, whether you are young or old, you can still get breast cancer. Though age increases the risk of breast cancer, more than 20 per cent of the affected women are those under 50 years.

Even though breast cancer awareness bracelets first came out in pink color, they now come in a variety of colors and materials. Usually the rubber and the silicone awareness bracelets sell for around $1. These bracelets can also be made of pearl, cats eye or any other suitable material and sell for around $30. These metal and pearl bracelets can be used as jewelry, and at the same time they support a cause.

Custom-made breast cancer awareness bracelets on which you can stamp any message that you want are also available. These messages can be of hope, or endurance, or success. Often, the friends and family of the cancer patients wear these bracelets to show their support to the struggling person.

Over the years the sale of breast cancer awareness bracelets has helped many. There are many discussion and information groups online on cancer that are supported by money from the sale of these bracelets. There are ‘fund-free mammogram’ facilities available for those who cannot afford the diagnostic procedure, funded by the sale of these breast cancer awareness bracelets.

Be it a $1 or a $ 30 breast cancer awareness bracelet, it can go a long way in spreading breast cancer awareness.


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Many of you will have heard of Paget's Disease, which is a serious bone disease, but many of you will not have heard of Paget's Disease of the breast, so I am hoping that the ladies out there reading this article will take notice of the content, because they could come in touch with this disease at some time in their life.

What Is Paget's Disease Of The Breast?
It is an eczema type change in the skin of the nipple, and most women that develop it, will have an underlying breast cancer.
Paget's Disease occurs in about 1 or 2% of women that have breast cancer, it appears firstly as a scaly, red rash affecting the nipple and the areola. It can be very sore, may bleed and it will not go away.

The disease can be difficult to diagnose, because it can be very similar to other skin problems like eczema or dermatitis, but this disease usually affects the nipple first then spreads to the areola, whereas the other skin problems usually start in the surrounding areas, first before spreading to the nipple.

I have been asked to include the following in this article, it is taken from an actual case, where the person with the disease wanted this message passed on by you, to all the ladies in your life, Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Aunts and Friends.

"A lady developed a rash on her breast, similar to that of young mothers who are nursing. Because her mammogram had been clear, the doctor treated her with antibiotics for infections.
After two treatments it continued to get worse, her doctor sent her for another mammogram, and this time it showed a mass.

A biopsy found a fast growing malignancy. Chemotherapy was started in order to shrink the growth; then mastectomy; then a full round of Chemotherapy; followed by radiation treatment.

After about 9 months of intense treatment, she was given a clean bill of health. She had one year of living each day to its fullest. Then the cancer returned to the liver area. She took four treatments and decided that she wanted quality of life, not the after effects of Chemotherapy.
She had 5 great months, and she planned each detail of the final days.

After just a few days of needing morphine, she slipped away saying she had done what God had sent her into the world to do."

PLEASE be alert to any thing that is not normal.

Her message is shown below:

"Paget's Disease: This is a rare form of breast cancer, and is on the outside of the breast, on the nipple and areola. It appeared as a rash, which later became a lesion with a crusty outer edge. I would not have ever suspected it to be breast cancer, but it was. My nipple never seemed any different to me, but the rash bothered me, so I went to the doctor for that. Sometimes, it itched and was sore, but other than that it didn't bother me.
It was just ugly and a nuisance, and could not be cleared up with all the creams prescribed by my doctor and dermatologist for the dermatitis on my eyes just prior to this outbreak.

They seemed a little concerned. Mine started out as a single red pimple on the areola. One of the biggest problems with Paget's disease of the nipple is that the symptoms appear to be harmless. It is frequently thought to be a skin inflammation or infection, leading to unfortunate delays in detection and care.

What are the symptoms? The symptoms include:

A persistent redness, oozing, and crusting of your nipple causing it to itch and burn. (As I stated, mine did not itch or burn much, and had no oozing I was aware of, but it did have a crust along the outer edge on one side.)

A sore on your nipple that will not heal. (Mine was on the areola area with a whitish thick looking area in center of nipple).

Usually only one nipple is affected. How is it diagnosed? Your doctor will do a physical exam and should suggest having a mammogram of both breasts, done immediately.
Even though the redness, oozing and crusting closely resembles dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), your doctor should suspect cancer if the sore is only on one breast. Your doctor should order a biopsy of your sore to confirm what is going on.

This message should be taken seriously and passed on to as many of your relatives and friends as possible; it could save someone's life

My breast cancer has spread and metastasized to my bones after receiving mega doses of chemotherapy, twenty eight treatments of radiation and taking Tamaxofin.
If this had been diagnosed as breast cancer in the beginning, perhaps it would not have spread".

TO ALL READERS: This is sad as women are not aware of Paget's disease.

As we all know, early diagnosis is so important with all kinds of diseases, so if you are in any doubt about any medical problem, for goodness sake, make an appointment to see a Physician, soon as possible.

If you would like to see more health information, that can help you, Please visit my web site.


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Modern medicine is based upon the notion of battle. We battle germs and fight for life. As soon as we feel pain or discomfort, we immediately try to stop it from happening and look for some way to soothe what we are going through. We feel we must change our illness or problems, overpower them with our expertise.

This orientation leads to a never ending battle with all that impinges upon us. After one illness or problem is conquered, another arises. We live in a state of constant insecurity where there is little room for ease of mind.


Healing from within brings inner peace with it. It arises from a different orientation towards all the experiences of life. We are taught to stop, pay attention and respect all that comes to us. It is as if we were re-focusing a camera, receiving our experience through a different lens.

Usually there is a deep sense that pain is bad, and must be removed at any cost. Pain is not bad. Pain arises from lack of balance and contains much information. It brings many messages along with it. When we see our pain as a messenger and learn how to respect and listen to it, healing begins in all kinds of ways.

The first step in healing from within is to learn how to see pain as an ally, to learn how to "dialogue" with it. For most of us this seems almost unthinkable.

At first this requires a complete turn around. Instead of tensing up and gearing for battle, we learn how to pause and understand there is a lesson that we have to learn. When we do this we find the pain or problem often comes holding a gift in its hands.

Illness often comes when we feel defeated. We may not wish to struggle anymore. Some people become ill when they are overly exhausted. The illness is the only way they can give themselves permission to stop, rest, and make much needed changes in their lives. Each illness has it's own story. The same is true with psychological or personal problems that grow strong, demanding our attention.

When someone is in physical pain and suddenly understands what is troubling them, the physical pain often subsides. For full healing to take place it may be essential to make changes in one's total life. Cancer can be suppressed for many years, and then it returns. When it reappears we must ask, "Why not? What is going on in my total life?"

"We become sick becomes we act in sickening ways,"
Louis Jourard

We are all experts at brushing things under the carpet. Then the carpet begins to roll up at the corners, and we feel we are coming unglued. During illness the body is rebelling. It is demanding that we pay attention to all that has been unattended. We may have been pushing ourselves for too long. Now our body is fed up. Stop and listen to me, it pleads. When we learn how to listen and how to reply, an entirely new life begins. Then pain and illness become an opportunity for vital change.

Learning To Listen

We usually listen only to part of ourselves. The rest is rejected. But no matter what we are rejecting, soon or later we must come up against it and face it straight on.

Rejecting something over and over never makes it go away. In fact, it will come back time and again, just for you to accept it. Everything needs to be loved and accepted, including our illness and pain. The best way is to make friends with the pain. Fighting intensifies it. If we can relax into it for a little while and explore it, many possibilities arise. Natural healing is always available in all situations, but it can be cut off by fighting and fear. When we let go, and allow ourselves to speak to the pain, and to listen to what it has to say, incredible changes can happen.

To do this, we simply close our eyes, stop fighting, and ask our pain what it is saying to us, what does it need from us right now? Then we become very quiet and listen deeply. An answer may not come right away. Patience is needed. As we do this process over and over, fear diminishes and we begin to hear.

Answers come in different ways. Some hear answers within. Others see images, some have dreams. We learn to be open to all that comes and in this openness, we learn.

Exercise
Look at your illness or problem now. Picture it within and give it some kind of shape. What does it look like to you? Describe or draw it. Now, look more deeply at what the image really means. What is this image saying to you about yourself and the life you are leading? Listen carefully.
Next, ask the image any questions you may have and let it answer you. (Ask what it wants from you and what it would need to go away). See if you can give it what it needs.

This attitude is called making friends with the pain. When we do this illness does not become something foreign and frightening. We become better able to understanding what the true causes are.

For example, if we are sad for too long and have not done enough crying, our bodies may begin to cry for us through the illness we are going through. If we feel that life is meaningless, our bodies can start to express this by shriveling up and dying. If we have held onto difficult attitudes, our bodies will bear the burden of them. Persistent negative attitudes become wounds upon our entire selves.

Our attitudes are messages we give our body. Though we may not be aware of it, if we feel life is a dirty battle, we are telling our body to tense up with shame all day long. Once we begin the crucial work of taking responsibility for and changing our attitudes, our entire body can begin to experience on-going ease instead of dis-ease. We must look at the basic attitudes we live with and ask ourselves if they are conducive to our health, or do they contain the very seeds of pain?

In order to heal from within, it is essential to handle these long standing patterns, to see them and change them to attitudes and patterns that are productive of well-being. Health comes with learning to say "yes" to all of our experience, in being willing to experience it just as it is. Wellness emerges out of the balance and harmony of all parts of ourselves.

When we are well, we feel whole, accepting and in harmony with ourselves and the entire world we live in. Like a fresh water stream flowing, this state of being brings continual refreshment and healing day by day.


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Sexual matters and issues are of great concern for many cancer patients during the period of treatment. While most patients would comfortably discuss sexual issues with their doctors, others would not even hear of it. Sex is the last thing a woman would like to discuss during this treatment period. Otherwise many women would be comfortable discussing sexual matters at least six months or a year after treatment. This is an opinion of older women compared to younger women who would have like to delve into sexual discussions immediately. However prediction of an outcome especially if it has to be good, is determined by a patient's attitude. A person who loves her body and in a good sexually active relationship offers the best outcome. Many women in this case are trying to overcome trauma associated with cancer and sex after mastectomy does not appeal to many.

The trauma of losing a breast during mastectomy can really impact heavily on a woman's sexual life. However there is still a positive side to it as most women confess that a mastectomy rarely interferes or inhibits their sexual exploits and enjoyment. A number of women are not comfortable with nudity after mastectomy. The scars they have only add to their trauma. They would be very unsettled if someone stared or looked at their scars. They fear engaging in active sex. They haven't yet learnt to love their scars. But for how long would they continue hiding them? And how long would it take them to resume sex after mastectomy? The breast area is the bone of contention and many women are very sensitive physically and emotionally specifically towards the area of operation, the breasts. Touching and scrutinizing these areas is not something positively welcomed.

Vaginal dryness and an early menopause occur as a result of ovaries being damaged during treatment. These are some of the worst side effects of chemotherapy. These are the hard facts which make a woman to take up to a year before she can think of discussing sexual matters. And how long will it take her to resume sex after mastectomy? However this should not be a problem especially with the advent of lubricants. Though some brands are greasy or excessively thick, there are brands that almost mimic nature and provide maximum lubrication. However it is not advisable to use estrogen based lubricants as it might be absorbed into the body.

Women subjected to surgery and mastectomy, are usually adjusted in good measure emotionally as well as sexually in one year just like their counterparts who just had a minor operation. It all takes courage and attitude change to resume an active sex life. The fatigue experienced long after chemotherapy makes sexual intercourse daunting. However, getting into the mood is the first step towards resuming sex after mastectomy. It can be a gradual process that does not involve penetration at first. It only gets to that level after the couple is comfortable with the sensitive nudity of the woman.

Every human being is the author of his own health, -an old Buddhist saying.

It began in August 2005, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The tumor was located toward the back of the breast close to the chest wall. My best option was to have the breast removed. The day before the surgery was scheduled, the surgeon called.

"Your pre-opt tests came back," he said. "Your liver enzymes are about three times higher than normal."

"What are liver enzymes?" I asked.

"Liver enzymes let us know how healthy the liver is," he explained. "You're not taking any medication that would affect the liver so we better find out what's going on. Surgery is on hold until we run some tests."

On hold. This malignancy was growing inside me and I was on hold. The tests were inconclusive. The CAT scan, ultrasound, hepatitis tests, and iron absorption test offered no answers.

"The surgery is still risky," the surgeon warned. "Surgery could make your liver worse."

At this stage I was more worried about the cancer than the liver, so I told him, "I'll take my chances."

Three days later I had the mastectomy. The cancer didn't appear to have spread to my lymph nodes. This good news was short-lived when we decided I would not undergo any further cancer treatment because of my unhealthy liver.

Every three months for the next year I took liver function tests. The results were always the same: the liver enzymes were three times higher than normal. But I was not idle during this year. I read hundreds of medical journals, poured through hundreds of medical studies, and read dozens of books on nutrition and soil depletion. When my doctor wanted to begin treatment for my liver, I decided to put my research to work. I became my own guinea pig.

"I'm going to take six months," I told him, "and then I'll be back."

The liver, I discovered, removes toxic substances from the body, produces most of the body's cholesterol, and acts as a storage unit for vitamins A, D, K, and B12. The liver enzymes show how well the liver is functioning and, obviously, mine wasn't functioning too well. With research notes in hand, I developed a plan of action. For the storage unit, I stopped the daily vitamin and mineral supplements that I had taken for years, to prevent overdosing. For the toxic substances and cholesterol, I switched to organic foods and olive oil for cooking and baking. I stuck to this plan for six months. After the six months passed, I called my doctor to arrange tests.

Two weeks later I sat in the doctor's office. He walked in with a puzzled expression.

"Well?" I asked.

"Your tests are normal." He acted surprised. "Actually, they are better than normal. Your liver enzymes are below normal. Your overall cholesterol dropped forty points. Your good cholesterol went up forty points. Even your bad cholesterol dropped a few points. What did you do?"

Battling Cancer is a tough time in anyone's life. Perhaps the toughest. That's why we've decided to write this article on how to care for yourself during radiation for Breast Cancer.

It very important to properly care for yourself during radiation for breast cancer. Keep in mind that after radiation you could feel fatigued for up to six weeks. Sleep as much as you like during this time - one thing you really need is your rest.

Also, make sure after radiation that you wear a comfortable bra. Making sure your bra fits properly and doesn't rub in any way is all part of good care for yourself during radiation for breast cancer. If a part of your bra rubs place a soft cloth between the bra and your skin.

Weight loss can be a problem after radiation treatment. In order to properly care for yourself during radiation for breast cancer make sure you eat a balanced diet. This will help you to avoid weight loss and keep your energy levels as high as possible.

Keep the skin fold area under your breast clean and talk to your doctor before using any powders, lotions, deodorants or perfumes. As part of your care for yourself during breast cancer radiation you need to make sure you are not using any products that might react with your skin at this time or do something to affect the radiation treatment in any way. Because of this it is best to avoid deodorants. Deodorants contain magnesium, and this can inhibit the effectiveness of the radiation treatment. To avoid reactions with the treated area, also avoid starching your clothes.

*One in seven women will develop breast cancer if present health trends continue, a study by the Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention Centre has warned. The risk to women who carry gene mutations that can lead to the disease has risen dramatically in the past 60 years, said the study of 1,442 women published in the journal BMC Cancer. It said the trend could be reversed in part by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Is trans fat bad for the breast as well as the heart?

French researchers compared blood samples taken in the mid-1990s from 363 women who were later diagnosed with breast cancer and 702 similar women who were not. Those who had higher blood levels of trans fat were nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over the next seven years as those with lower trans levels.

What to do: Avoid trans fat to protect your heart (and maybe your breasts). Skip foods made with partially hydrogenated oils in restaurants and at the supermarket. If you minimize the saturated fat you get from beef and high-fat dairy foods, you'll also dodge their low levels of naturally occurring trans fat.

Breast cancer patients and their families might hold the important key to enabling new technologies that can help pinpoint the right treatment for the right patient at the right time. A new genomics project spearheaded by Santa Clara-based Iris BioTechnologies is looking for participants to offer information that will lead to more personalized medicine for the treatment of breast cancer and other deadly illnesses.

With widely different responses to the more than thirty chemotherapeutic agents in use today the ability to rapidly classify "generic" diseases like breast cancer into genetic subtypes is long overdue. In the past, oncologists have made treatment decisions based solely upon broadly defined disease knowledge and personal experience, with little or no insight into the molecular biology of cancer. Thanks to advances in technology the necessary clinical tools are rapidly becoming available.

One new tool is the Iris Breast Cancer Chip, which captures crucial molecular information concerning the activity of more than one hundred genes implicated in the disease from a breast biopsy sample. When processed, this information creates an optical pattern that is then analyzed by the company's proprietary data program called "BioWindows," which launched earlier this year.

"By combining the patient's cancer gene profile with their environmental, hereditary and lifestyle information, doctors can pinpoint what drugs worked for patients with similar profiles," explains Simon Chin, CEO of Iris. "The marriage of these two technologies is essential to assist doctors with practical prognosis, disease prevention, and the development of more fully targeted medicine."

Iris expects to launch their first Nano-Biochip to identify gene expression patterns in breast cancer later this year. For now, breast cancer patients and their families are welcome to enter information into the database at www.biowindows.com.

"Looking at a mirror offers a sense of what you look like on the outside; with the Nano-Biochip and BioWindows technology you have a glimpse of the 'inner you' based upon heredity and factors that impact your genes," says Mr. Chin. "We believe the future of treatment is in personalized medicine, and it all starts with your involvement."