Your Breast Cancer Treatment Team

Your Breast Cancer Treatment Team
By Michael Russell

Today, the majority of breast cancers are diagnosed by mammography. There cancers are small, often too small to be felt and surgeons usually rely on radiologists to localize these small cancers with a hook wire or some injected dye. The technology has changed drastically and we have entered a new era of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Because of the many elements that come into play in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, coordination is necessary among the team of physicians: surgeon, radiation oncologist, cancer pathologist, plastic surgeon, radiologist and medical oncologist.

Ideally, a woman with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer communicates with a primary physician who takes charge of developing a treatment plan with her and then coordinates its implementation. These team members can work at a single institution or be drawn from a wider geographic distribution and any of the cancer specialists can act as the coordinating physician. Often, it is the medical oncologist who coordinates the flow of information and treatment for the patient, but many surgeons and radiation oncologists take on this pivotal role as well.

It is important that breast cancer patients find a cancer specialist that she can communicate with and who will address her concerns. However, there are medical systems in which it may be difficult for the patient to connect with one physician who will act as her coordinating team leader. If you are in this situation, don't despair. You just need adequate information to get you the treatment you need and be your own team leader. It is possible to go through this process without a physician to spearhead your treatment plan and still get high quality health care.

The overall treatment plan revolves around two critical decisions. One deals with local control and the second with the need for systemic therapy. Often, cancer patients and their doctors cannot decide upon the issue of systemic therapy until all the information is available from the surgical procedure.

Since the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are done primarily on an outpatient basis, cancer patients may travel to various locations for different aspects of treatment. Some women may come to a breast cancer facility for the definitive surgery and then have radiotherapy at a facility closer to their home. If patients require various therapies, it is important to consider doing something similar in order to make treatment appointments as convenient as possible.

One of the key tools used in coordinating a woman's care is a treatment planning conference. This conference is a meeting of treatment team members to discuss the patient's case and to develop a coordinated treatment plan based on the patient's situation. The conference allows each of the team members to view a common history, the radiological breast images, the pathology report and pathology images. The patient is usually excluded from the treatment planning conference in order to allow an honest exchange of opinions between the team members. The treatment planning conference is very important in coordinating care. Each of the potentially treating physicians can, in one setting, agree on an overall treatment plan and their particular contribution to that plan. This united approach also guarantees that the physicians line up the sequencing of the different therapies correctly and in the manner that is most beneficial to the cancer patient.

Besides benefiting the woman with breast cancer, the nature of the conference itself promotes education and understanding on the part of various physicians involved. Women diagnosed in the future stand to benefit greatly from the shared pool of information that these conferences provide medical professionals in general.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

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Early Detection Yields High Survival Rate For Colon Cancer Patients

Early Detection Yields High Survival Rate For Colon Cancer Patients
By M. Jedediah

Thanks to highly reliable tests as well as more frequent testing, colon cancer has become known as one of the least deadly cancers. If caught in its earliest stages, this type of cancer can be completely eradicated from the body. In order for it to be detected, however, patients must undergo a test known as a colonoscopy to check for polyps that might develop into cancer. This test is especially important for those over the age of 50 since there may be no symptoms that cancer is beginning to form.

Some of the warning signs of colon cancer include blood in the stool, diarrhea, a change in bowel habits or pain in the abdomen or rectal area. It is not uncommon for those suffering with this type of cancer not to experience any of these symptoms at all. A doctor's physical examination will also generally not uncover any abnormalities. Really the only way for this type of cancer to be detected is by performing a particular test known as a colonoscopy.

During a colonoscopy, your doctor will use a video camera attached to a thin flexible tube to examine the inside of your colon. While he is conduction his examination, your doctor can remove any small polyps he might find. You will be given both a shot to reduce pain as well as an anesthesia to help you relax during the test. Nearly everyone who undergoes a colonoscopy will tell you the most unpleasant part of the test is the preparation.

This is because the colon must be completely clean before the test can be successfully completed. When he schedules your test, your doctor will also give you instructions on how to cleanse your colon. These instructions will usually involve taking a combination of pill and liquid laxatives as well as using an enema and not eating solid foods for a day or two before your test.

There are a variety of factors that can increase your odds of getting colon cancer. These can include a family history of the disease as well as a personal history of breast cancer or cancer elsewhere in the body. Those with Crohns disease also seem to be more susceptible to this type of cancer. Your diet may also play a role in whether or not you develop colon cancer. Eating a high-fat, low-fiber diet with lots of red meat can also increase your odds of developing this condition.

If you are diagnosed with colon cancer and your doctor is not able to remove the polyps or cancers during your colonoscopy, there are a variety of other procedures that have proven very successful in treating this type of cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation are both forms of treatment used for this type of cancer. Depending on how far your cancer has spread, your doctor may have to perform surgery to remove the cancerous portion of your colon.

Currently, the prognosis for those diagnosed with colon cancer is excellent. This is especially so if the cancer is caught early. Be aware of your risk factors for cancer; also have a colonoscopy if your doctor suggests it. This test could save your life.

For more information on cancer try visiting http://www.cancercondition.com - a website that specializes in providing cancer related information and resources including information on colon cancer

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Diagnosed With Breast Cancer? Here Are Some Resources To Help!

Diagnosed With Breast Cancer? Here Are Some Resources To Help!
By Mike Herman

There are more and more organisations and groups around the world who will offer support and advice to not just women but men as well who have been affected by breast cancer.

Many of these groups and organisations not only spend time counselling people but they hold many fund raising events and campaigns to help pay for further research into the disease.

In some cases some of these groups or organisations will offer treatment to those patients diagnosed with the disease who can not actually afford to pay for the treatment themselves.

Below is a list of the various organisations and groups that can be found in the USA which have been specifically set up to fight this disease and provide support to those who have been diagnosed with it.

One such group in the USA is the American Cancer Society (ACS) who are a community based health organisation and which helps to fight all the various types of cancers that now seem to affect the population.

They also spend vast amounts of their time not just focusing on treatment of cancer but also its prevention and how to reduce the suffering felt by the patients and their families and saving lives.

They also help with costs for carrying out further research and educating people on the disease and making the population more aware of its effects.

Another organisation is Cancer Care Incorporated who provide a telephone support service for all cancer issues, and this includes medical information, cancer terms and definitions, counselling, guidance on local services, free information material, as well as information on local support groups to the patients area as well as an abundance of educational programs on cancer matters.

Now we come to CRFA (Cancer Research Foundations of America) which is a national group and which focuses on the prevention of cancer both through educating people and scientific research.

It is also able to provide people with information on other forms of cancer as well as breast such as prostate, lung, colorectal, skin and cervical.

Then you could if you wish contact The Living Beyond Breast Cancer Foundation which has been set up and provides a helpline where you are able to obtain support after being diagnosed with the disease.

You will discover that the people at the other end of the phone talking to you will have previously been diagnosed with the disease and survived.

They are able to provide you with first hand information on the treatments offered, the way in which it is diagnosed and how to survive it.

But don't forget the people at the other end of the phone can only offer you emotional support and not actual medical advice, for that you will need to see your doctor who will then refer you to a specialist.

Then there is the Medicare Hotline which is another breast cancer foundation and this one can offer the patient information on mammography and the way it is used in helping to detect breast cancer during the early stages.

Also we have the NABCO (National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organisations) who can provide people with answers to the many questions that they will have relating to the disease and they can either call them or send them an email to obtain the information they require on breast cancer and the many issues relating to it.

If you would like to obtain a more individual response regarding a question you have in respect of the disease it may be a case of you contacting the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service, which can provide patients with answers to any specific question they may have relating to the disease.

Also a number of years ago a Foundation was set up called the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation which helps to fight breast cancer and are well known for organising lots of awareness programs as being a huge contributor in raising funds through various campaigns they have organised such as breast cancer walks.

This foundation also has a helpline where they have trained volunteers who can talk to individuals regarding the disease as they have suffered from it themselves.

The Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has been set up and is specifically committed to offering people with the latest information that is available concerning breast cancer and breast health to those that contact them.

Lastly we have the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organisation which helps fight against both breast cancer and provides support to those suffering from the disease by providing them with a helpline that is operated by trained personnel only.

These people are volunteers but who have all survived breast cancer and are not only prepared but have the experience to answer the various types of questions that will be posed by the caller regarding breast cancer.

They can also provide emotional support to the men and women who have been affected by this disease.

What breast cancer information do you need to know more about? Click on over to http://www.ResourcesForBreastCancer.com and be sure to visit http://CancerReport.info.

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Cancer It Won't Get The Breast of Me

Cancer - It Won't Get The Breast of Me
By Linda Coffman

In 2005 I was diagnosed with an aggressive and invasive form of Breast Cancer. Even at age 52 it was a shock to me. An even greater shock was finding out through researching Breast Cancer that 1 in 8 women would, at sometime in their lifetime, be diagnosed with Breast Cancer. This statistic was staggering to me.

The good news is that the mortality rate, or number of deaths, due to Breast Cancer is on the steady decline. Treatment is customized for each patient's specific cancer. Being an author, I decided to take notes about my treatment should I ever want to write a book about it.

When women think of having a Mammogram the first word that comes to mind is, 'ouch!' or something similar. Unfortunately, until medical science comes up with a better method, Mammograms are a fact of life for women, especially over the age of 40.

Being a person who is usually viewing life on the up side, I found more humor in what I was going through than I ever thought possible. People do not associate cancer with laughter but I hope to change that, to a degree, anyway. Your doctor will not tell you how to prepare for a Mammogram but I will here.

Exercise #1

1. Open your refrigerator door and insert one breast between the door and the main box.
2. Have one of your strongest friends slam the door shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure.
3. Hold that position for five seconds.
4. Don't breathe.
5. Repeat again in case the first time wasn't effective enough.
6. Repeat all steps on the other breast.

Exercise #2

1. Visit your garage at 3:00 a.m. when the temperature of the concrete floor is just perfect (anywhere below 32 degrees.)
2. Take off all your warm clothes and lay on the floor with one breast wedged tightly under the rear tire of the car.
3. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until the breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled.
4. Turn over and repeat for the other breast.

Congratulations! You are now properly prepared for your Mammogram.

The day of my first Mammogram after my diagnosis was one I will never forget. I entered Hooterville Breast Care Center with more apprehension than usual. When I told her I might be writing a book about my treatment, the technician said she wanted to be called Ginger. I made a note of that. I wasn't sure if we would still be speaking after she was done with me. And, since the body parts to be examined are so personal, I named my right breast, Laverne, and my left breast, Shirley. Laverne was under the gun today.

I have to give kudos to Hooterville for supplying me with an extra large gown even though I told her that, at my age, all I needed to do was pull up my skirt! Then Ginger led me into the room with the Booby Trap. It's the only contraption I know of that takes cups and turns them into saucers without having to sweep up glass. Ginger is tall, pretty...oh, who cares? This is about me.

You larger than tiny gals know the drill. I stepped up to the Booby Trap and introduced myself. He didn't care and we all now it's a 'he.' Ginger pulled out the largest shelf she had and invited Laverne to have a seat. Laverne obliged having had the memory of her last Mammo squeezed out of her.

As Ginger pressed the button on the floor, I knew what was coming even if Laverne didn't. I was grinding my teeth as the top shelf began depressing Laverne into enough square footage to carpet my veranda! She began to spill over the sides and reminded me of that old fifties, 'The Blob.' Satisfied that she could squeeze no more, Ginger told me to hold my breath and don't move. Now I must note here that it was not possible to take a breath because my right lung was oozing out my nipple! And as for moving...well that's too ridiculous to even address. I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.

Several pictures were taken in different poses and than Laverne was released to wait with me while Ginger put them up for auction on Ebay. As we're waiting, I looked down at Laverne and she was as red as a tomato. It took all my self-control to keep from hollering down the hall, I need a bucket of ice...I'm on fire in here! Ginger must have found some takers because she returned to take me to the ultrasound room.

I can be flippant about it now because the pain is gone. What I want you to realize from reading this account is that attitude is very important in your recovery. I chose to see the humor in a difficult situation. Because of that, you had a good laugh or two by reading about it. I am pleased to say that I am a two-year survivor and should the cancer return, I hope I will again be able to laugh a little.

More about the author's experience can be found at: http://www.lscoffman.com

L. S. Coffman is the published author of Cancer...It Won't Get The Breast of Me, a novel, Sentenced To Redemption, and two children's picture books.

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8 Urgent Needs for a Cancer Patient to Heed! Fight and Win!

8 Urgent Needs for a Cancer Patient to Heed! Fight and Win!
By Lucy Wong Moi

The WILL to SURVIVE cancer is the most urgent need for just any cancer patient. No one can survive when his or her will to survive cancer is gone. Hope will bring light, light will bring confidence, confidence is faith. Faith will survive the fight! Emerge as Winners!

[1 The will to survive

Do not be disheartened and discouraged! Listen! Obey! Respect! and Follow your Faith! What ever the trouble, the pain or suffering, the only goal of our life should be holding on to the Faith! This is the essence of our life.

Pray for inner strength, the surge of which will carry you through the ups and downs of the mind's rebellion. To uproot the chaos that is already present. You must find the strength of a rock to face the challenges. Love conquers all. Fill every thought with the might of its warmth, maturity and compassion. This is the only race where one should emerge a winner, not a whiner! This is the most urgent need, the strong will to survive! Tell yourself that you WILL DEFINITELY recover!

[2 The will to accept and adapt to certain changes

The expectations of certain degrees of discomforts, disabilities, sufferings would be there. There is nothing as unbearable, treat sufferings and miseries as footsteps towards deeper understanding of True Self. When one is in deep suffering, one will be forced to search within and look for resolutions.

We should have equanimity towards honor and dishonor, cold and heat, pleasure and pain. Without pain, one cannot understand pleasure, sorrow is verily the royal road to joy.

Sufferings are the stepping stones that lead man towards virtuous conducts. Deep suffering and pain is also one form of meditation in faith. It always lead to self realization and self awakening. Be patient to understand these changes. Fear not.

[3 The will to change for the better

Certain foods and drinks that are carcinogeous should be immediately avoided. Unhealthy lifestyles should be put to a stop. Doctors of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame and diet, and the cause and prevention of diseases. Understand what Thomas A. Edison said. Find out the cause and prevent it from happening at the first place.

But fear not, as I always confide in many people, there are also certain miraculous and wonderful food that can cure cancer. Change for the better. Stop poisoning our body, go for a detoxification program where one can go on a strict diet on just certain fruits, vegetables and herbs. It will heal. Starve the cancerous cells, feed the immune system.

[4 The will to smile at adversity

Do not fear, carry the luggage of will and strength. Strive on, tough man will last, tough time won't! Whenever you find truth, beauty, goodness, justice, wisdom, compassion, hope, love, God is present and active! We must surrender our judgement to the Lord, then the Lord will assume full responsibility and be your guardian, guide and the motivator. Our worries and tears cannot change what is predetermined. Be equal-minded to happiness and unhappiness.

People are being tested, but it should not be called so. It is grace, those who suffer have God's grace. Only through suffering will they be persuaded to turn inward and make the inquiry. And without turning inward and making inquiry, they can never escape misery! Pass the test of adversity, pass it with doctorate!

[5 The will to reprogram one's thinking

Life brings the message to live it to the fullest, but how many of you are using the power of this strength, fully and completely? Rid off poor habits and restraints, delete uncontrolled desires of the mind which are simply excusedly called 'pleasures' and 'prizes' Reprogram one's thinking to more meaningful works. Choose to stay with positive companions and environment. Be positive in thoughts, in words, in deeds and apply all positive emotions.

[6 The will to 'look beyond' our mortal body

Planning ahead, yes planning ahead. With each sunset, the span of life is being chipped away remorselessly but man does not prepare himself for the eventuality of death and the aftermaths. Our mortal body cannot survive forever. But our immortal soul is embedded inside our mortal body. Have one ever given a second thought on how to attain immortality and that we are actually a spark of Divinity?

[7 The will to cooperate with doctors and physicians

There are many cases where patients aren't cooperating well with healing doctors. We have our choice to which physicians we trust. We need the doctors to diagnosis our well-being and our status of cancer. To survive a cancer, one MUST work hand in hand with your doctor. It is a MUST!

[8 The will to return to normal living, accepting oneself among friends, loved ones, relatives and family

Love will solves all problems and challenges. Recovery from a near-death illness is no game to gamble or play with. All of us learn in a difficult and expensive way in realizing the value of life. All of us should show discipline and wisdom in emerging as a winner and once again one is breathing freely and feeling the warmth and beauty of sunshine. Life written cannot be rewritten. All of us should learn to treasure life.

This article is taken from my personal blog and actually is written for a new friend who is now having ovarian cancer and is now hospitalized. I wish her speedy recovery and would like to share with more people on how to survive cancer. Fight we must, survive we will. This is the 3rd article on cancer that I have wrote.

If there is a will, there is a way, if there are 8 WILLS, there are MANY WAYS!

Lucy Wong is a health and nutrition consultant. Her interest in health related issues include the development of mental health. She is also keen in sharing Multiple Qs, she is also an educator and has written many articles on this subject in her personal column under alternative health in http://submitarticles.biz Read more about mental health articles in her personal column and discover the secrets of maintaining good mental health. She has a personal blog. Read more from 'Lucy's tips for a healthier and happier You'.

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Your Cancer Resource

Your Cancer Resource
By Morgan Hamilton

It seems the news has become virtually unwatchable and the print media, too painful to read. With death, sickness and disease plastered across most nightly news programs, it may be unavoidable. One of the worst of the worst is a horrible disease that we call cancer. Our collective knowledge of this disease is scarce to say the least. This is why it's important to acquire cancer facts from a reliable cancer resource. In the best resource you have right now is at your fingertips, your computer.

Have you ever has it that need for a solid and cancer resource? There is a plethora of valuable information that is available to us. The most important resource is also the most convenient as a cancer resource. I'm talking about the Internet. Cancer is so prevalent that I believe we should all take the time to learn a little, and by doing so we may educate ourselves and how to avoid getting cancer.

Are you aware that cancer is a genetic condition in many cases? It's true; while most individuals people don't realize this, they nevertheless are susceptible to cancer like the rest of us. But just because there are cancer genes with MS doesn't mean we have to succumb to them. To start, our diets play a big role in our health.

That's why it is so important that we take care of ourselves by heating right and exercising. When you subject yourself to poor eating habits and gaining extra pounds, you in turn better your chances of acquiring some kind of illness. We must play an active role in protecting our bodies from those agents that may do us harm.

Are you watching your diet? You can certainly turn to a credible cancer resource such as the Internet to learn more about eating right and avoiding processed foods. And of course it goes without saying that cancer can be avoided in many cases by simply not smoking. By now, virtually all of us should know and understand the negative effects of smoking and what it does to our lungs. Although I personally know someone that smokes who was in denial of this fact. If you are a heavy smoker, then you may want to get online and browse a few websites that deal with lung cancer.

In this day and age it's definitely not difficult to find a cancer resource. We would all be well served to become better educated in this area. There are numerous types of cancer that can affect different areas of the body. It may very well be impossible to completely prevent cancer, but at the same time there are plenty of things that we can do to protect ourselves from contracting it to begin with. Having a quality cancer resource at your disposal is an excellent first step in battling this hideous disease.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning men's health. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Cancer Resource

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7 Stages of Cancer Development

7 Stages of Cancer Development
By Siew Yin Gark

You must have heard of this statistic that out of every 3 of us, one of us will get cancer. But do you know that back in 1901, only 1 in 8,000 got cancer? Our body actually tries in so many ways to give us all the warnings and symptoms to tell us that something is not right and we need to do something about it!

Let us see from the Holistic Health Science point of view how cancer develops in 7 stages.

First stage, Enervation.
It is not recognized as a disease yet. Most people will just feel tired, exhausted and worn-out at this stage. The best way to recover from enervation is to get enough sleep as sleep is the greatest energy charger! Inadequate sleep and rest are the main causes of enervation.

Second stage, Toxemia or intoxication.
Toxemia is a state where toxins saturate our body. This happens when we fail to observe our capacities and ignore the symptoms of enervation. We continue to overwork, sleep late and are under great stress.

Third stage, Irritation is when we feel itchy and uncomfortable, or when we have irritating but not painful areas.
Irritation results from toxic substances being sensed by our nervous system. Our body is giving us signal to move away from this condition.

Fourth stage, Inflammation.
Its only at this stage that doctors recognize it as disease as it involves pain. Maybe youve experienced this before: you completely lost your appetite; and you don't feel hungry at all even youve not been eating for the whole day, all you want to do is just to sleep and rest! Sounds familiar? The area becomes inflamed due to the continuous irritation of toxic substances. Appendicitis (appendix), tonsillitis (tonsils), hepatitis (liver) and nephritis (kidney) are all inflammation but in different areas.

Fifth stage, Ulceration.
Our body use ulcer as a way to drain toxic built-up, it will heal if causes are stopped. Cells and tissue structures are being damaged due to our bodys inability to live in increasing toxin.

Sixth stage, Induration, or often called tumor formation.
Induration is the process where our tissue hardened so that ulcer and toxic materials can be kept inside and sealed off by the hardening of the tissue around them. This is a way of quarantining the toxins. This shows how our body tries so hard to protect us even at this stage! However, if we continue with our destructive lifestyles and diet patterns, our body will eventually dissolve the hard tissue when the toxin level is so high and it can no loner take it! This means the toxins will leak and circulate to other parts of the body, and that leads to cancer...

Final stage, Cancer.
Our cells have become parasitic at this stage. Cancer is usually fatal, it can ONLY be reversible with the condition of us stopping the causes and indulge in healthful practices, as healthful practices are the universal panacea!

Siew Yin Gark's philosophy has always been that there are no quick fixes to staying healthy. She believes that we can attain health only through proper diet, exercise, sleep and rest and the results will be long term. You can get her latest tips and sharing on health for FREE at her blog: http://www.greathealthandus.com

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Prostate Cancer Your Quick Guide

Prostate Cancer - Your Quick Guide
By Helen Hecker

The prostate gland is located just beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. Although one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, only one man in 34 will die of the disease. About 80 percent of men who reach the age of 80 will have prostate cancer.

Most men younger than 40 are rarely ever diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is normally a very slow growth cancer that can take many years before it becomes deadly. The most common cancer in American men, that is excluding skin cancer, is prostate cancer.

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease are bone pain or tenderness, and abdominal pain. One of the most common symptoms is the inability to urinate. There are several other symptoms that may not be mentioned here.

Because prostate cancer symptoms can mimic other diseases or disorders, men who experience any of these symptoms should undergo a thorough work-up to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. Blood in the urine or semen and frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs are often symptoms of cancer. One prostate cancer symptom is difficulty starting urination or holding back urine.

Your doctor may use either one or two of the most common tests for prostate cancer detection. One downside to PSA testing is that health care providers are detecting and treating some very early-stage prostate cancers that may never have caused the patient any harm. There are several potential downsides to PSA testing; for example a high PSA does not always mean a patient has prostate cancer.

A chest x-ray may be done to see if there is a spread of cancer. Urine or prostatic fluid cytology may reveal unusual cells. There is a newer test called AMACR that is more sensitive than the PSA test for determining the presence of prostate cancer.

Medications can have many side effects, including hot flashes and loss of sexual desire. Some drugs with numerous side effects are being used to treat advanced prostate cancer, blocking the production of testosterone, called chemical castration; it has the same result as surgical removal of the testes. An oncology specialist will usually recommend treating with a single drug or a combination of drugs.

Other medications used for hormonal therapy, with side effects, include androgen-blocking agents, which prevent testosterone from attaching to prostate cells. In the early stages, surgery and radiation may be used to remove or attempt to kill the cancer cells or shrink the tumor. Thoroughly discuss your treatment options and concerns with your doctor and other health professionals; it never hurts to get a second or even third opinion or more if necessary.

Prostate cancer that has metastasized may be treated conventionally with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, chemotherapy or nothing at all. The approaches to treatment include: ever watchful waiting to see whether the cancer is growing slowly and not causing any symptoms. Many men simply want the best treatment they can get but what's important is picking the best treatment for you.

Surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy can interfere with libido on a temporary or permanent basis. Hormone manipulation is mainly used as a treatment to relieve symptoms in men whose cancer has spread. Surgery is usually only recommended after thorough evaluation and discussion of all available treatment options.

What you can do now is begin to understand what exactly your treatment options are and where you're going to begin. In patients whose health makes the risk of surgery unacceptably high, radiation therapy is often the chosen conventional alternative.

As new research comes out adjust your treatment your options accordingly. Just about all men with prostate cancer survive at least five years after their initial diagnosis, 93% survive at least 10 years, and 67% survive more than 15 years. In the end, only you with the help of your doctors, knowing your individual situation, can determine the best treatment program for you.

For more information on prostate cancer treatments and prostate cancer symptoms go to http://www.BestProstateHealthTips.com Helen Hecker R.N.'s website specializing in prostate and prostate cancer tips, advice and resources, including information on prostate tests and natural prostate cancer treatments

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