Pancreatic Cancer After Chronic Pancreatitis

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg returned to the Supreme Court bench three weeks after surgery for pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg, who is 75, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the beginning of this February and surgeons removed a small tumor that had not spread. Experts say she has a good chance of recovery.

Most Americans wish Justice Ruth Ginsburg good health, but what came to peoples mind, especially people with chronic pancreatitis, when they read this news? "Thanks God, it is not me", "What can I do to avoid that?"

People who have chronic pancreatitis are at a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. On the contrary, improving the health of pancreas may help to prevent of developing pancreatic cancer.

The chain reaction: healthy pancreas, acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, can be really slow down by changing life style and using alternative medicine.

The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach. It is surrounded by the liver, stomach, gallbladder, and duodenum (small intestine). The pancreas has two most important functions. One is to produce pancreatic juice needed to neutralize stomach acids and break down food. The second is to produce hormones, such as insulin, which controls the level of glucose in the blood.

Pancreatic cancer occurs when abnormal, cancerous cells grow in the tissues of the pancreas mainly in the ducts that carry pancreatic juices. About 80% of pancreatic cancers occur in the "head" of the pancreas. This is the area where the common bile duct merges the pancreatic duct that carries the pancreatic juice with digestive enzymes from pancreas to the duodenum. Blend secretion of bile and pancreatic juice goes trough the opening with a muscles valve.

Spasm or blockage of this valve may cause back up of the pancreatic juice and increasing of pressure inside the pancreatic duct. Trapped inside the pancreas digestive enzymes start to digest their own pancreatic cells causing congestion, inflammation, pain, cysts and finally death of pancreatic tissue or pancreatic cancer.

The whole idea to help people with chronic pancreatitis is "open the gates", get rid of the blockages in proper moving of the bile and pancreatic juice, remove back up of the pancreatic juice. What may help this way to lower risk of pancreatic cancer?

* Acupuncture can open passages and valves, normalize the function of liver, gallbladder and pancreas. Acupuncture improves microcirculation and immunity, decreases pain and congestion.

* Proper organic healing diet decreases inner toxicity and irritation of the pancreas.

* Herbs have a long history of using in people with pancreatic problems.

* Nutritional supplements can decrease oxidative stress, inflammation, pain.

* Drinking healing mineral water preparing from the Karlovy Vary Thermal Spring Salt can decrease acidity, decrease congestion and pancreatic juice's back up.

* Regular exercises, chiropractic manipulations and point massage.

* Avoid smoking, stop drinking alcohol by using Hypnosis, Acupuncture, etc.

* Body Cleansing.

* Restoration of friendly intestinal flora by using Colon Hydrotherapy and Probiotics.

Pancreatic cancer is easy to prevent than treat, especially in predisposal people. Of course, early detection of cancer is as important as ever.

Peter Melamed Lic.Ac,RN, Ph.D

Lignans: A Component of Optimal Breast Health and Cancer Prevention

(NaturalNews) Among the many stressors in the lives of women today is the question of breast health. We want to be proactive in the care of our bodies. Yet we feel torn between the traditional medical approach which offers us Tamoxifen, and the natural or holistic approach. Recent research points to lignans as a significant natural supporter of breast wellness. Let's examine these alternatives.

Tamoxifen is a drug that has long been used to treat patients suffering from breast cancer. In 1998, the FDA approved Tamoxifen for use in breast cancer prevention. Tamoxifen acts as an "anti-estrogen" in the body. Just as estrogen is currently believed to promote the growth of breast cancer cells, Tamoxifen is believed to slow or stop the growth of any breast cancer cells already present in the body.

Known side effects of Tamoxifen include endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus), pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs), and deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in major veins).

Is there something better?

As is almost always the case, we are finding that mother nature can do it better. Researchers are now identifying the benefits of lignans.

Human lignans are created when natural plant compounds locked into the cellular matrix of certain seeds, beans, legumes, fruits, and vegetables are acted upon by bacteria in the digestive tract. These compounds resemble the shape and structure of estrogen and have some of estrogen's functionality. Studies have shown that women with the highest levels of lignans in their breasts have the greatest levels of breast health.

Due to their structural resemblance to estrogen, lignans are able to compete with estrogen for estrogen receptor sites on breast cells. It is believed that through these estrogen receptor sites, estrogen may cause cancerous mutations in DNA. When lignans block the receptor sites they displace estrogen, and reduce the possibilities for mutations. Flaxseeds are the richest dietary source of lignan precursors.

In order for lignans to effectively compete with estrogen for the estrogen receptor sites, there must be a large number of lignans in the body. This can be accomplished by consistently eating a diet high in lignan precursors including flax seeds, supplementing with high lignan flax oil, or taking one of a number of high lignan products formulated as capsules, the best known of which is Brevail made by the Barleans Company (I have absolutely no affiliation with the Barleans company but would like to praise them for including vitamin D in their product before current research revealed its importance in cancer prevention).

Lignans pass through the body in a 24 to 48 hour period, so care must be taken to ingest lignan precursors almost daily. Supplementing with flax oil or a lignan capsule formulation insures that you will get a quantifiable amount every day.

Since lignans are created by the action of intestinal bacteria upon the lignan precursors found in these certain vegetables and fruits, supplementing for lignan production following the use of antibiotics is particularly important. The use of antibiotics results in a reduced count of these intestinal bacteria.

Hormonal Harmony

According to research reports, women ingesting significant levels of lignan precursors to promote optimal breast health have reported other added benefits such as improved mood, and reduced levels of hot flashes, irritability, cramping, bloating, breast tenderness, headache and insomnia.

In a study sponsored by one of the makers of lignan capsules, the thirty women studied were able to raise their blood and urine levels of lignans to a point comparable to women with an extraordinary history of breast health and hormonal health.

by: Barbara Minton, Natural Health Editor

What is Cervical Cancer and Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

Definition of cervical cancer: Cancer that forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope).

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb). It is sometimes called the uterine cervix. The body (upper part) of the uterus, is where a fetus grows. The cervix connects the body of the uterus to the vagina (birth canal). The part of the cervix closest to the body of the uterus is called the endocervix. The part next to the vagina is the exocervix (or ectocervix).

What causes cervical cancer?

Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You get HPV by having sex with someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms.

Most researches believe that the human papilloma virus (HPV) is a strong cofactor in the development of pre-invasive and invasive carcinomas of the cervix, as well as pre-invasive and invasive squamous cell cancer of the vagina and vulva. Ninety to nintey-five percent of squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix contain the human papilloma virus DNA.

Symptoms of cervical cancer

Bleeding that occurs between regular menstrual periods

Bleeding after sexual intercourse, douching, or a pelvic exam

The most common symptom is abnormal vaginal bleeding. This is any bleeding from the vagina other than during menstruation.

Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer

Biopsy procedures

While the pap smear is an effective screening test, confirmation of the diagnosis of cervical cancer or pre-cancer requires a biopsy of the cervix. This is often done through colposcopy, a magnified visual inspection of the cervix aided by using an acetic acid (e.g. vinegar) solution to highlight abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix.

Treatments and drugs of Cervical Cancer

Cone biopsy (conization). During this surgery, the doctor uses a scalpel to remove a cone-shaped piece of cervical tissue where the abnormality is found.

Surgical treatment for invasive cervical cancer is radical hysterectomy, which is the removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, adjacent lymph nodes, and part of the vagina. If cancer has spread (metastasized) to lymph nodes in the abdomen, lymphadenectomy (surgical removal of lymph nodes) may also be performed.

Cryosurgery Hysterectomy -- The removal of the uterus through the abdomen or vagina is a major surgical procedure requiring at least an overnight stay in the hospital. There are very few reasons to perform a hysterectomy for pre-invasive lesions. It is sometimes used for women who have had more than one relapse and no longer have enough tissue to perform another LEEP.

If the cancer has spread further within the pelvis or to other organs, radiation therapy is preferred. This treatment is ineffective in about 40% of women with large or extensive cancers.

Cancer Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Cancer

Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases. Cancer occurs when cells become abnormal and keep dividing and forming more cells without control or order, forming a growth or tumor. Benign tumors are NOT cancer; malignant tumors are cancer. Cancer stem cell content and the intrinsic radio sensitivity of cancer stem cells is thought to vary between tumors, thereby affecting their radio curability. Most cancers are named for where they start. For example, lung cancer starts in the lung, and breast cancer starts in the breast. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis.

It can also occur when cells “forget” how to die. There are many different kinds of cancers. Cancer can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue. The mutation in the DNA changes these instructions, so that the cells carry on growing. This causes the cells to reproduce in an uncontrollable manner producing a lump of tissue, known as a tumors.

Types Of Cancer Breast cancer,prostate cancer,lung cancercancer of colon, or rectum,bladder cancer, and ovarian cancer. Symptoms Of Cancer Symptoms of cancer depend on the type and location of the tumor. For example, lung cancer can cause coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain, while colon cancer often causes diarrhea, constipation, and blood in the stool. Local symptoms - these occur when the cancer is contained in one part of your body. changes in bowel or bladder habits, a sore that does not heal, unusual bleeding or discharge, thickening or lump in the breast or any other part of the body, indigestion or difficulty swallowing, obvious change in a wart or mole, or nagging cough or hoarseness.

If the tumor has spread to local lymph nodes only, sometimes these can also be removed. Information about cancer treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, clinical trials, proton therapy, complementary medicine, cutting edge technologies, Surgical Oncology, Targeted Therapies and Vaccine Therapies. Complementary medicine techniques such as acupuncture

, meditation, and yoga could be a helpful addition to your regular medical treatment. Includes research on complementary techniques and ways to find qualified practitioners. If all of the cancer cannot be removed with surgery, the options for treatment include radiation, chemotherapy, or both. Some cancers require a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

james sameul

Breast Cancer - Naturopathic Approaches

During chemotherapy and radiation therapy, the organs of detoxification are being extremely overloaded and overworked. They can become so fatigued from the toxic load that many of the functions shut down and they are unable to do what they need to do. The kidneys and the liver are particularly affected. The patient can also experience discomfort in many forms, as well as experiencing great fear and isolation. The body can be assisted greatly in this process with just a few simple adjustments to the person's diet and lifestyle, and with the assistance of homeopathic, herbal and nutrition remedies. But first let me explain the philosophy and principles of naturopathy.

The Principles of Naturopathy

Naturopathy is a philosophy of health care, whose ideas about disease and healing are built upon many years of investigation and research into the nature and cause of disease. This philosophy is based on three fundamental principles. These principles are logical deductions and conclusions arrived at from centuries of effective therapeutic treatment of disease, from the Orient, Europe and the United States. Naturopathy recommends only the simplest, most natural and non-invasive measures to bring about its results. These treatments have been tested and proved over and over again by the results obtained.

In this article we are dealing with the first principle only. The first and most fundamental principle of naturopathy is that all forms of disease are due to the same fundamental cause. This is (from the physical perspective), the accumulation in the system of waste materials and toxic refuse, which has been steadily building up in the body of the individual concerned through years of incorrect living habits. From this principle, then, it follows that the only way in which disease is eliminated at the physical level is by introduction of various methods that will enable the system to throw off these toxic accumulations – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual – which are clogging the wheels of the human machine.

• The first principle: All disease has the same fundamental cause.

• The second principle: The body is always striving for the ultimate good of the individual.

• The third principle: The body/mind heals itself.

In naturopathy and complementary health care, one of the first steps is to identify various toxins that the person is unable to throw off correctly. These toxins could be in the form of chemicals; heavy metals; radiation; water; geopathic stress; electro-magnetic fields; processed and refined foods; bacteria; viruses; fungi; parasites; weather; air; noise; injury; emotional trauma; excess of body chemicals; and cumulative life experiences.

All synthetic chemicals in the form of medication are extremely toxic to the individual. This of course puts the patient in a quandary: the treatments needed to kill the cancer are in themselves creating a further toxic problem. A positive solution is to start the detoxification process as soon as possible to assist the patient in their recovery. It is advised that this be done very gently and slowly.

First let us clarify what is meant by toxins and detoxification.

Definition of Detoxification

Detoxification is a cornerstone of both healing and the prevention of disease. Detoxification covers the sum total of therapeutic means available to ensure the elimination of toxins that debase or deplete the organism of the patient requiring treatment, through natural channels and with natural substances.

Definition of Drainage

The general term 'drainage', that is to say, draining or flowing away from, is vital in the process of detoxification. Drainage is a major component of detoxification, but not necessarily detoxification itself. In other words, one might be detoxifying the cells and the tissues but, if the organs to be detoxified are not draining properly, there can be much discomfort for the client.

Definition of Toxins and Toxaemia

We can classify the various sources of the toxins that afflict us into three different categories that are distinct from one another, but can be found concurrently in the same client.

Exogenous Toxins

This means that the toxins are extended to the subject. In other words, the toxins are entering the system from the outside, such as food additives, x-ray, ELF waves, chemicals, industrial pollutants, pesticides, herbicides, viruses, fungi, bacteria, parasites, etc. The toxins could also come from excess stimulants, such as tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, medicines, injury, accidents, over-exercise, etc.

Endogenous Toxins

These toxins are found within the subject themselves: microbial viruses and toxins associated with tuberculosis, syphilis or other diseases due to microbes; the inability to throw off dead cells correctly in the catabolic phase; excess hormone secretions due to stress that are not correctly processed; and emotional activity that renders the person out of control with the inability to quiet the system.

Autogenous Toxins

These toxins are generated by the subject as a result of miasm (a genetic tendency towards), as well as their constitution and temperament. They affect the organism primarily by inhibiting a good immune response and lowering its resistance. According to Samuel Hahnemann 'arthritis' comes under the miasmic term of 'Psora'.

How Does the Body Detoxify Itself?

There are two phases of detoxification.

Phase 1

This phase aims to do two things: firstly it wants to make the toxins less poisonous; and secondly it wants to excrete them. This is important, for if you allow a poison to go directly to the kidneys for excretion without first changing it to a less toxic form, it will damage the kidney as it passes through. The body has three types of reactions to choose from: oxidation (burning off); reduction; and hydrolysis (conversion or changing). Usually this is all the body needs to do to change the compound or metabolite, so that it can be safely excreted through the kidneys.

Phase 2

This phase of the detoxification process is nature's back-up system. In this phase an amino acid hooks onto the metabolite or compound to make it larger, more electrically charged and more polar. This makes it more soluble in water, enabling it to be excreted through the bile to pass into the stool. This reduces the workload on the kidneys and provides a way to get rid of more difficult compounds. This phase is called conjugation, which means the coupling with another compound to make it easier to be drained or washed out. Glutathione is a major conjugator that helps the body detoxify foreign chemicals or xenobiotics.

Toxins enter the body by four major pathways:

• They are in the air and we breathe them, so the lungs are a major pathway;

• They are in the water and we drink them which makes the kidneys major pathways;

• They are in our foods and we eat them and those toxins get processed through the liver and exit through the bowel, which makes the liver and bowel major pathways;

• They are absorbed through the skin.

We also eliminate toxins through the same pathways. These are known as the organs of detoxification.

How Can Detoxification Help the Breast Cancer Patient who is Undergoing Allopathic Care?

When patients have made the decision to cleanse the system gently while undergoing therapy, they discover that they are not as fatigued as they were, their thinking is much less foggy, they experience far fewer side effects and, best of all, they feel they have some control over their own well-being.

When the toxins have been identified, the appropriate detoxification programme is designed. We first need to deal with the specific toxins due to the cancer therapy itself; then we can deal with the specific toxins due to the patient's lifestyle. There is a group of homeopathic remedies called zenobiotics, which assist the body to detoxify at the cellular level. These are designed to detoxify the specific toxin you are working with, such as, radiation, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, food additives, etc. We would then look at herbal detoxifiers, such as, cat's claw, chlorella, chlorophyll, black walnut, Spanish black radish and Mitake mushroom. Nutritional supplements, such as glutathione and MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), inositol hexaphosphate, anti-oxidants and bio-flavonoids may also be appropriate. Post-surgery, homeopathic remedies, such as arnica and bellis, are extremely helpful for bruising and shock.

Within natural therapies there are many remedies for each specific organ and function, so, which do we choose? That is where the professional can help by being able to assess the energy field of the client's body and then recommend specific treatments for each individual. That is best done through energy testing such as kinesiology, or a form of testing called EAV testing. The client may need only some of the above-mentioned remedies at a time, perhaps one from each category. It is important that the individual is tested by a competent practitioner to see which products match their system for maximum results.

As I mentioned earlier, we need to make sure the organs of detoxification are draining and supported. There are specific programmes to do this, for example:

• black walnut, wormwood and cloves to detoxify the liver;

• hydrangea root, marsh mallow root, goldenrod and parsley to detoxify the kidney;

• baking soda and salt baths, ginger baths and vinegar baths to detoxify the skin, as well as doing skin brushing before the bath;

• slippery elm, cascara segrada and senna, along with fibre and betonite to assist in detoxifying the colon;

• mullein, fenugreek, yerba santa and deep breathing exercises for the lungs;

• trampoline bouncing and using the Chi machine to assist the lymph system in carrying away the waste.

What Sort of Foods Should the Cancer Patient Eat along with their Detoxification Programme?

Again there are wonderful foods that support the normal function of the organs of detoxification, such as watermelon and asparagus for the kidneys; for the liver, endive, collard greens, dock and dandelion greens (the bitter taste activates the flow of bile), lemon water (the sour taste cools and cleanses the liver); flax seed oil and olive oil are of great benefit to the large intestines; and good old chicken soup can benefit the lungs. When it comes to diet people also need to take into consideration their blood type, whether they are a slow or fast oxidizer and whether they are sympathetic or parasympathetic dominant. Cleansing and detoxification have been major aspects of healing throughout history. It is only in this age, ironically, when we have more toxins in our environment than ever before, that mainstream thinking does not seem to see the need for this wonderful healing modality at all.

Emotional, mental and spiritual work has to be utmost in the client's programme, as it may be necessary to change the way the client thinks and acts in order to optimize the healing process.

by Angela Burr-Madsen ND

Breast Cancer - Detection or Deception?

Introduction

When it comes to finding solutions to the many problems facing our lives, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s message, “Change only takes place through action”, might very well have been the rallying call that galvanized the millions of women throughout the world to support the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Every October since 1985, the recognizable symbol of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the pink ribbon bow, is prominently displayed all over TV, on posters, in magazine advertisements as well as proudly adorning women’s lapels. The multitudes’ fundraising runs, hikes, walks and various other events raise hundred of millions of dollars to conquer that dreaded scourge of the modern woman, breast cancer. High profile companies like Avon, Lee Denim and Revlon have joined ranks along with the Susan G Komen Foundation’s ‘Race for the Cure’ and the LA City of Hope Hospital’s ‘Walk for Hope’. Popular celebrities have been enlisted to lead the charge.

Each year 180,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 44,000 will die of the disease. The US has one of the highest breast cancer rates of any country in the world. Fifty years ago the incidence for a woman’s lifetime risk was one in twenty. Now it has skyrocketed to one in eight. Clearly the so-called war on cancer has not even made a dent in the breast cancer epidemic as the figures continue to climb at the rate of 1% a year.

The motto of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is “Early Detection is Your Best Protection”, since the National Cancer Institute stated in 1995 that “Breast cancer is simply not a preventable disease”. A similar message was reiterated in 1997 by the American Cancer Society’s announcement that “there are no practical ways to prevent breast cancer – only early detection”. Therefore, mammograms then become the front line of defence. Celebrities like Rosie O’Donnell offer free T-shirts with the honourable words “I’ve been Squished” if you’ll just make a date with your local X-ray department.

Conflicts of Interest

Breast cancer Awareness Month’s primary sponsor and mastermind of the event in 1985 was Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, now known as AstraZeneca. Zeneca is the company that manufactures the controversial and widely prescribed breast cancer drug, tamoxifen. All TV, radio and print media are paid for and must be approved by Zeneca.

It is less known that Zeneca also makes herbicides and fungicides. One of their products, the organochlorine pesticide, acetochlor is implicated as a causal factor in breast cancer. Its Perry, Ohio chemical plant is a major source of potential cancer-causing pollution in the US, spewing 53,000 pounds of recognized carcinogens into the air in 1996.

When it comes to the environmental carcinogens found in pesticides, herbicides, plastics and other toxic chemicals, there is booming silence by all Breast Cancer Awareness Month programmes. Did the alarming increase of breast cancer rates just mysteriously happen? Or perhaps, the focus on the cure has conveniently ignored the cause? After all, if it became general knowledge that Zeneca’s chemical products and factories directly contribute to the breast cancer epidemic, it would certainly sully their PR campaign.

Many experts predicted as far back as 30 years ago that cancer rates would increase, citing an explosion of synthetic chemicals. From 1940 through the early 1980s, production of synthetic chemicals increased by a factor of 350. Billions of tons of substances that never existed before were released into the environment. Yet only 3% of the 75,000 chemicals in use have been tested for safety. These toxic time bombs are everywhere – in our water, air and food. They are also found in the workplace, in schools, in household cleaners, cosmetics and personal care products, Women who live near toxic waste dumps have 6.5 times the incidence of breast cancer.

A survey conducted by Dr Mary Wolff of Mt Sinai Hospital, New York, found that women with breast cancer had four times the levels of DDE (a breakdown product of the pesticide DDT) found in non-carcinogenic tumours.Also, another study investigated why upper-class women in the community of Newton, Massachusetts, had higher breast cancer rates than the lower economic women. The researchers attributed the increase to greater use of professional lawn-care service and more dry cleaning services, which use known carcinogenic chemicals.

The pesticide-breast cancer link was stunningly highlighted in research from Israel which linked three organochlorine pesticides detected in dairy products to an increase of 12 types of cancer in 10 different strains of mice. After public outcry in 1978 forced the Israeli government to ban the pesticides – benzene hexachloride, DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and lindane – breast cancer mortality rates, which had increased every year for 25 years, dropped nearly 8% for all age groups and more than a third for women aged 25-34 in 1986.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) was founded with the support of the Rockefeller family in 1913. Members of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry have long had a place on its board. “The ACS also has close connections to the mammography industry. Five radiologists have served as ACS presidents, and in its every move the ACS reflects the interests of major manufacturers of mammography machines and film including Siemens, DuPont, General Electric, Eastman Kodak, and Piker.”Could that have something to do with the fact that the ACS’s latest report on cancer prevention makes no mention of environmental factors or safer screening protocols?

Samuel Epstein MD, Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, scathingly attacks the cancer establishment. “Over recent decades, the incidence of cancer has escalated to epidemic proportions while our ability to treat and cure most cancers remains virtually unchanged. Apart from the important role of tobacco, there is substantial and long-standing evidence relating this epidemic to involuntary and avoidable exposure to industrial carcinogens in air, water, the workplace and consumer products. Nevertheless, the priorities of the cancer establishment, the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, remain narrowly fixated on damage control – diagnosis and treatment – and on basic molecular research, with relative indifference to, if not always benign neglect of, prevention. Concerns over this imbalance are further compounded by serious questions of conflicts of interest, particularly with the multi-billion-dollar cancer drug industry.”

Toxic Tamoxifen

Perhaps we can forgive Zeneca’s involvement with carcinogenic chemicals, since it researched and patented the most popular breast cancer treatment, tamoxifen, manufactured under the name of Nolvadex. This highly profitable drug grosses 500 million dollars annually. Perhaps not.

On 16 May 2000, the New York Times reported that the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences had added 14 substances to their list of known carcinogens. Tamoxifen was included in that list!

However, the government’s announcement confirmed what had already been known. In May 1995, California’s expert committee, established from Proposition 65, decided to let the public know that tamoxifen use is likely to cause endometrial cancer. Zeneca Pharmaceuticals did not challenge these findings.

It is known that tamoxifen causes uterine cancer, liver cancer and stomach and colorectal cancer. After just two to three years of use, tamoxifen will increase the incidence of uterine cancer by two to three times. The treatment for uterine cancer is a hysterectomy. In addition, tamoxifen increases the risk of strokes, blood clots, eye damage, menopausal symptoms and depression.

The biggest shock of all is the fact that tamoxifen will increase the risk of breast cancer! The journal Science published a study from Duke University Medical Center in 1999 showing that after 2 to 5 years of use, tamoxifen actually initiated the growth of breast cancer!

So, Zeneca, the originator of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is the manufacturer of carcinogenic petrochemicals, carcinogenic pollutants and a breast cancer drug that causes at least four different types of cancer in women, including breast cancer. Is something wrong with this picture?

Mammography Dangers

Since the Breast Cancer Awareness Month spin doctors claim that breast cancer is “simply not a preventable disease”, the focus has shifted to the theme of early detection. Women are now encouraged to get their mammogram earlier. At one time, only women 50 years or older were told to get this screening. Now the campaign is targeting 40-year-olds and even women as young as 25. However, detecting breast cancer with mammography is not the same as a protection from breast cancer.

For 20 years or more, John Gofman, a scientist with degrees in both chemistry and medicine, has been publishing studies of the hazards of low-level radiation. His hypothesis is that “Medical radiation is a highly important cause (probably the principal cause) of cancer mortality in the United States during the twentieth century.” In other words, Gofman believes that medical X-rays are a major cause of cancer, including breast cancer and heart disease, in the US.

“There is clear evidence that the breast, particularly in premenopausal women, is highly sensitive to radiation, with estimates of increased risk of up to one percent for every RAD (radiation absorbed dose) unit of X-ray exposure. Even for low dosage exposure of two RADs or less, this exposure can add up quickly for women having an annual mammography,” notes Samuel Epstein. “More recent concern comes from evidence that one percent of women, or over one million women in the United States alone, carry a gene that increases their breast cancer risk from radiation fourfold.”

According to Sharon Batt, author of Patient No More: The Politics of Breast Cancer, “The depths of the mammography deceit began in the early 1970s. It was concocted by insiders at the American Cancer Society (ACS) and their friends at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The number of women who were put ‘at risk’ or who died as a result of this nefarious scheme is not known but estimated to be huge.”

In 1978, Irwin J D Bross, Director of Biostatistics at Roswell Park Memorial Institute for Cancer Research, commented about the cancer screening programme:

“The women should have been given the information about the hazards of radiation at the same time they were given the sales talk for mammography. Doctors were gung-ho to use it on a large scale. They went right ahead and X-rayed not just a few women but a quarter of a million women. A jump in exposure of a quarter of a million persons to something which could do more harm than good was criminal and it was supported by money from the federal government and the American Cancer Society.”

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) was warned in 1974 by professor Malcolm C Pike at the University of Southern California School of Medicine that a number of specialists had concluded that “giving a women under age 50 a mammogram on a routine basis is close to unethical”.

“Repeat… The experts in the government were told not to do this to healthy women in the year 1974!”

The Lancet reported that, since mammographic screening was introduced in 1983, the incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which represents 12% of all breast cancer cases, has increased by 328%, and 200% of this increase is due to the use of mammography. This increase is for all women: since the inception of widespread mammographic screening, the increase for women under the age of 40 has gone up over 3000%.

In addition, mammography provides false tumour reports between 5% and 15% of the time. False positive results cause women to be re-exposed to additional X-rays and create an environment of further stress, even possibly leading to unneeded surgery.

In September, a large-sample, long-term Canadian study proved that an annual mammogram was no more effective in preventing deaths from breast cancer than periodic physical examinations for women in their 50s.

In the study of almost 40,000 women aged 50 to 59, half received periodic breast examinations alone and half received breast examinations plus mammograms. All learned to examine their own breasts as well. By 1993, 13 years after the study began, there were 610 cases of invasive breast cancer and 105 deaths in the women who received only breast examinations, compared with 622 invasive breast cancers and 107 deaths in those who received breast examinations and mammograms.

“They found smaller cancers, but ultimately the mortality rate was the same” said Suzanne Fletcher, a professor of preventive medicine at Harvard Medical School. She added that cancer screening programmes are built on the assumption that “finding it earlier is finding it better… This study questions that assumption.”

“The bottom line,” said Cornelia Bainesc, co-author of the study, and a professor of public health sciences at the University of Toronto, is that “the

addition of annual mammography screening to physical examination has no impact on breast cancer survival”.

To add to the mammography controversy, a study published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association stated that mammography screening for breast cancer offers only minimal gains in life expectancy for women beyond the age of 69, a factor that should be taken into consideration when elderly women are deciding about breast cancer screening. Mammography offers the greatest potential benefit for women between 50 and 69 years old. Beyond that, the benefits are pretty small.

Another problem with mammograms is that interpretation is often wrong. In 1996, the journal Archives of Internal Medicine published results of a test of 108 radiologists throughout the United States. The test used a set of 79 mammograms where the diagnosis had been verified by subsequent biopsies, surgeries or other follow-up. The radiologists missed cancer in 21% of the films, thought 10% of the women with no breast disease had cancer and thought 42% of benign lesions were cancerous.

Another study looked at the records of 8,779 postmenopausal women who had mammograms and found that women on oestrogen had 33% more false positives (mammograms showed an abnormality but none could be found) and 423% more false negatives (mammograms that missed an abnormality that showed up later) than women not using oestrogen.

Further, mammograms are not diagnostic and too frequently lead to unnecessary breast biopsies, which are an expensive, invasive surgical procedure that causes extreme anxiety, some pain and often physical harm to many women who do not have cancer. According to the 1998 edition of the Merck Manual, for every case of breast cancer diagnosed each year, between 5 and 10 women will needlessly undergo a painful breast biopsy.

“While there is a general consensus that mammography improves early cancer detection and survival in post-menopausal women, no such benefit is demonstrable for younger women”, says Dr Epstein. Dr Charles B Simone, a former clinical associate in immunology and pharmacology at the National Cancer Institute concurs. “Mammograms increase the risk for developing breast cancer and raise the risk of spreading or metastasizing an existing growth.”

In the face of all this evidence, why does the ACS recommend annual or biannual mammography for all women aged 40 to 45 or even earlier? Do the maths: a $100 mammogram for all 62 million US women over 40, and a $1,000+ biopsy for 1 to 2 million women, is an $8 billion per year industry. However, thereis a superior alternative called advanced thermography, which does not use mechanical pressure or ionizing radiation. It can also detect signs of breast cancer years earlier than either mammography or a physical examination. Mammography cannot detect a tumour until after it has been growing for years and reaches a certain size. Digital infrared thermography is able to detect the possibility of breast cancer much earlier, because it can image the early stages of angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is the formation of a direct supply of blood to cancer cells, which is a necessary step before they can grow into larger tumours.

It is no surprise then that the safer and even more effective diagnostic techniques like digital infrared thermography have been vigorously attacked by the Breast Cancer Awareness organizations.

So all the hullabaloo that comes each October, enlisting women’s support and hard-earned cash does nothing really to eliminate the cause of this devastating disease. Instead, women’s heart-felt desires and good intentions to find the cause and cure are usurped by the hidden agendas of major transnational corporations pushing their toxic drug treatments and diagnostic tools that actually create even more breast cancer. Is it really profitable to find safe, non-toxic cures and screening methods?

Natural Steps to Cancer Prevention

Women can make the difference in eliminating breast cancer. The breast cancer epidemic is not some great mystery. The causes of cancer are already known. Toxic diets, toxic lifestyles, toxic emotions, toxic environments, toxic drug treatments and toxic diagnostic techniques cause cancer. Corporations are only interested in increasing their profits and ensuring their tentacles of control, not in actual solutions. When it comes to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women must invest their time and money into other projects, initiatives and treatments that will truly create change.

Some of the most immediate steps women can take towards creating a preventative programme include:

• Eat as many organic foods as possible. They are not only free of harmful chemicals but also have much greater nutritional value;

• Eliminate all commercial household cleaning products and toxic garden pesticides and replace with safe, organic and biodegradable brands;

• Drink pure, filtered water;

• Refuse steroid hormone treatments such as HRT and the Pill; these are known to initiate and promote breast cancer;

• Seek out the many natural approaches to regain hormonal balance;

• Detoxify the body and reduce stress;

• Investigate safe screening techniques such as thermography, especially if you are premenopausal.

by Sherrill Sellman

Benign Tumours: My Journey

I had a suspicion that gradual physical changes had caused this lack of identity, of self, I was experiencing. It was a balmy summer morning and as is my custom I walked around the garden sniffing herbal aromas desperately trying to feel grateful and calm before going to work, but instead I felt depressed, exhausted, sad even. My hands, face and feet burned with pain. My once size ten, shapely body achieved through exercise and weight training, had ballooned into a size twenty two and for some obscure reason my feet and hands were getting bigger and it hurt. I did not want to go to work. This was inconceivable and distressing to me. On checking my appearance before leaving I noticed a swelling in my neck over the area of the thyroid gland. I grudgingly admitted to myself that this had gone on long enough and it was time to see the doctor.

I told the doctor of the intense headaches which lasted for days and explained the way I got through the day – by keeping a duvet handy and using my lunch hour to sleep under my desk in my office, (I still do this). The doctor noted the weight gain, flaky skin and lack of eyebrows without any prompting. I should say here that as a qualified aromatherapist I had regularly applied every conceivable concoction I could dream up but nothing seemed to alleviate the skin problem. My daughter, also an aromatherapist and bit of a wag, jokingly remarked that anyone else would be embalmed by now! I took Evening Primrose Oil Oenothera biennis, vitamins E and C and various other supplements regularly, a habit formed when I was a keep fit enthusiast.

I had tests and saw a consultant endocrinologist. The tests revealed abnormal levels of thyroxin, growth hormone and prolactin, the latter caused my mammary glands to produce copious amounts of milk, another unpleasant symptom. I was sent for a CAT scan. The scan revealed a pituitary tumour and I found it hard to equate the massive changes both physically and emotionally with the few cells collected together in an area no bigger than a marrowfat pea. Then I had an MRI scan which in turn showed up a series of benign tumours in and around the pituitary. The surgeon to whom I was referred used the word 'peppered'. Laser would not be the answer. Radium treatment was offered but I declined. I opted for an oral medication which the surgeon explained would hopefully reduce the tumours and perhaps eradicate them completely. I accepted the treatment along with other medications including corticosteroids and thyroxin and, endeavouring to treat myself holistically, incorporated complementary medicine into my regime. Nausea was and still is a side effect. My bones, ossified for many years, started to grow. In six months my feet grew from a size four to a seven. My cheekbones ached but responded well to massage. After about a year I noticed some changes, weight loss, skin improvements and less headaches. In all of this I have been determined to stay positive. I have repeatedly told myself and others that I will get well, but recovery is testing, even now. Every day I renew my determination to live, not simply exist. I use my best china, smell the flowers, stroke the cats, dabble in the greenhouse and put on my make up, (but not necessarily in that order)! In all this time I have missed only one day at work. Oh I know my slippers are big and I still have some bad days, but I'm making progress. I am grateful for the love of friends and family, I accept encouragement, I stay positive and remember like everyone else, I possess inside, the essence of what I once was – and I may become it again.

by Barbara Payne

Hyperthermia in cancer treatment

Breaf History of Hyperthermia

The healing effect of heat treatment was already mentioned in the advanced cultures of the old Egypt (2400 B.C.), but only the medical professionals of the Greek Antique used this therapeutic approach consistently, acknowledged it and called it over-warming (in Greek: Hyperthermia). "Give me the power to produce fever and I heal every illness", said Parmenides, Greek physician, 540-480 B.C.

Hyperthermia in cancer treatment

Hyperthermia (also called thermal therapy or thermotherapy) is an acute condition which occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. It is usually caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures. The heat-regulating mechanisms of the body eventually become overwhelmed and unable to effectively deal with the heat, causing the body temperature to climb uncontrollably.

Hyperthermia can also be created artificially by drugs or medical devices. In these instances it may be used to treat cancer and other conditions. Cancer cells are more heat-sensitive than healthy cells and their structure reacts differently to overheating. In 1910 the possibility of overheating in order to increase the radiation effect on malicious tumors was described for the first time. This already well-known and applied method was rediscovered as so called "whole body hyperthermia" in the beginning of the 1960s. Since the 70s a number of studies were run to further investigate this therapy form.

Research has shown that high temperatures (up to 44°C) can damage and kill cancer cells, usually with minimal injury to normal tissues. By killing cancer cells and damaging proteins and structures within cells, hyperthermia may shrink tumors.

Hyperthermia is almost always used with other forms of cancer therapy, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Hyperthermia may make some cancer cells more sensitive to radiation or harm other cancer cells that radiation cannot damage. When hyperthermia and radiation therapy are combined, they are often given within an hour of each other. Hyperthermia can also enhance the effects of certain anticancer drugs, which is mutually strengthened thereby and a healing more likely - the so-called synergistic effect of hyperthermia. It was found out that cytostatic drugs (chemotherapy substances) clearly act more aggressively at temperatures over 40° C than within the range of the normal body temperature.

How Cervical Cancer is Treated with Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses certain types of energy to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells. Radiation therapy works by damaging a cancer cell's DNA, making it unable to multiply. Although radiation therapy can damage nearby healthy cells, cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and typically die when treated. Healthy cells that are damaged during radiation are resilient and are able to fully recover.

Radiation therapy may be given alone, along with chemotherapy, and/or with surgery. The decision to combine radiation therapy with other types of treatment depends on the stage of cervical cancer and other factors.

Radiation therapy may be given:

* by itself as the sole treatment method

* after surgery

* after or in conjunction with chemotherapy treatment

Some chemotherapy drugs, such as 5-FU and cisplatin, make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation. Both of these chemotherapy drugs are used to treat cervical cancer.

Types of Radiation Therapy Used to Treat Cervical Cancer

Two types of radiation therapy are used to treat cervical cancer: external radiation and internal radiation. One or both types of radiation treatment may be used to treat cervical cancer.

External Radiation

Also called systemic therapy, this type of radiation is given on an outpatient basis and usually given daily for 4 to 6 weeks. It uses x-ray or gamma ray energy to deliver treatment to the affected area. In women with cervical cancer, pelvic external radiation is given and is done so through the use of a machine that resembles an x-ray machine. Each treatment lasts only a few minutes and does not cause any pain.

Internal Radiation

This type of radiation therapy is also called brachytherapy. Brachytherapy uses an implant (a seed, catheter or rod) that is sealed with a radioactive substance. The implant is placed into the uterus through the vagina and treatment is delivered. Brachytherapy is done on an inpatient basis, and the patient is allowed to leave following treatment.

Side Effects of Radiation Therapy

Side effects of radiation vary from patient to patient. It all depends on how often treatment is given and at what degree. The three most commonly experienced side effects are:

* Fatigue

All radiation patients experience some degree of fatigue during treatment. This is the time when a cancer patient should really utilize her support system to help with chores, errands, child care and other small tasks. Short naps throughout the day and getting uninterrupted sleep at night really make a difference in a person's energy level.

* Skin Problems

The skin that has been exposed to treatment may appear red, sunburned, tan, or irritated. The skin is very sensitive and should be treated as so. Patients should avoid perfumes or scented body lotions, tight fitting clothing, and exposing the area to sun (during treatment and for at least one year after).

* Loss of Appetite

Loss of appetite can lead to fatigue and nutritional deficiencies. It is very important to keep up strength during any cancer treatment, and nutrition is one of the best resources to do that.

By Lisa Fayed

Cervical Cancer Risk Factors

Some risk factors can be avoided such a sexual behavior and smoking, but some risk factors are out of our control. Risk factors we cannot control risks like genetics and age.

Cervical Cancer Risk Factors

* Human Papillomavirus (HPV): HPV has the strongest link to cervical cancer development. It is an extremely common virus that is transmitted through sexual contact. There are over one hundred different strains of HPV, with most posing no health risk. However, a handful of strains affect the cervix, which could lead to cervical cancer. HPV usually does not present symptoms, so a regular Pap smear is vital to detecting cervical damage caused by HPV.

* Smoking: When people think of smoking, lung cancer usually comes to the mind first, not cervical cancer. The carcinogens in cigarettes can cause damage to the cervical cells, possibly leading to cervical cancer. Studies have shown that smoking can accelerate the cervical damage caused by HPV.

* Sexual History: Certain sexual behavior may increase your risk of developing cervical cancer. Having many sex partners or having sex with someone who has had many sexual partners may increase your risk of developing HPV, thus possibly developing cervical cancer.

Having sex at an early age also increases the risk for cervical cancer. It is thought that having sex with an uncircumcised male may increase your risk as well. Studies have shown that women whose partners were circumcised were less likely to develop cervical cancer.

* HIV Infection: Women infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at a greater risk of developing cervical cancer. HIV compromises the immune system, making it harder for the body to ward off an HPV infection. A weakened immune system may also cause cervical cancer to develop at a more rapid pace.

* Genetics: Having a family history of cervical cancer may increase the risk for cervical cancer. It is estimated that if an immediate family member, like a mother or sister, has had cervical cancer, the risk is increased two to three times.

* Multiple Births: Studies have shown that women who carry seven or more full-term pregnancies are at a higher risk of developing cervical cancer.

* Oral Contraceptives: There is a small cervical cancer risk in using birth control pills for longer than five years. Many physicians agree that the benefits of oral contraceptives far outweigh the risks. If you are concerned with the risk of cervical cancer from birth control pills, talk to your doctor.

* DES Exposure: Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a drug used in the past for women who were at high risk of having a miscarriage. It was used between 1940 to 1971. Women born to those who were given DES are at a slight risk of developing a rare form of cervical cancer because of the DES exposure. One out of 1,000 women who were exposed in utero will develop this type of cance

* Failure to Get Screened Regularly for Cervical Cancer: Women who have regular Pap smears greatly reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer. A Pap smear can detect abnormal cervical changes before they progress to cervical cancer.

By Lisa Fayed

Red Meat Increases the Risk of Colon Cancer

(NaturalNews) Many studies have shown that eating red meat in high quantities can be harmful to your health. The general consensus seems to be that we should eat less of it. Colon cancer is the third most common cause of cancer in both men and women in the U.S. It affects over 145,000 people and kills over 56,000 each year. The link between colon cancer and red meat has been shown before, but this study by American Cancer Society researchers helps explain the relationship between the two.

The Study
The findings of this study will be published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Vol. 293, No. 2: 172-182). It is based on a long-term study of about 149,000 people between 50 and 74 years old. The participants filled out a questionnaire detailing their eating habits in 1982, and again in 1992/1993. The leader of the study was Michael Thun, MD, MS, chief of epidemiology and surveillance research at ACS. Thun and his colleagues looked at how many people had developed the disease by 2001; they then analyzed the risk according to the amount of meat that was consumed.

The participants who consumed the most red meat in both time periods were 30 to 40 percent more likely to develop cancer in the lower part of their colon, compared to the participants who ate the least. The people who ate the most processed meats were 50 percent more likely to develop colon cancer and 20 percent more likely to develop rectal cancer compared to those who ate the least. For red meat the researchers defined "high" as 3 or more ounces per day for men and 2 or more ounces for women. For processed meat (bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, cold cuts) "high" was defined as 1 ounce eaten 5 or 6 days per week for men, and 2 or 3 days per week for women. Eating white meat (poultry and fish) did not raise the risk of getting colon cancer.

Study Shortcomings
The study does not take into account all the other factors that go into developing colon cancer. There could have been other factors that contributed to the increased risk of developing colon cancer. They compared the group that ate more red meat to the group that ate more poultry and fish and found that those who ate white meat were healthier and had a lower chance of getting colon cancer, but it is impossible to say if the white meat group had other habits that lower the risk. Even though the study isn't perfect, it gives us a guideline. The American Cancer Society stated, "This is not a condemnation of red meat, but it is part of a growing body of evidence that red meat shouldn't be the mainstay of your diet."

Cancer Immunotherapy Can Use Small Numbers of Stem-Like Immune Cells to Destroy Large Tumors in Mice

Researchers found that a subset of immune cells, T lymphocytes called CD8+ memory stem cells, were capable of mediating strong anti-tumor immune response. These potent cells were generated in the laboratory by stimulating anti-tumor T cells in the presence of drugs designed to mimic an important signaling pathway called Wnt, which is a complex network of proteins whose interactions are essential during development and stem cell maintenance. Under the influence of Wnt, T lymphocytes acquired stem-cell-like properties of multipotency and self renewal; that is, they generated differentiating daughter cells while regenerating themselves when transferred back to mice from the lab. These stem-like qualities enabled tiny numbers of T cells (about 40,000 cells) to trigger the destruction of large melanoma tumors (containing about one billion malignant cells).

"This new category of lymphocytes is superior to T cells used in earlier experiments because they have the enhanced ability to renew themselves, to proliferate, to differentiate and ultimately to kill tumor cells," said NCI lead author Nicholas P. Restifo, M.D., an investigator in the Surgery Branch at the Center for Cancer Research.

Current clinical immunotherapies, based on the transfer of tumor-specific T cells generated and expanded in the laboratory, rely on the use of large numbers of tumor-specific T cells and have had beneficial but sometimes limited success.

If confirmed in humans, the use of tumor-reactive CD8+ memory stem cells could reduce the numbers of tumor-specific T cells needed for successful immunotherapy, thus making this type of therapy easier to develop so that more patients could benefit.

These findings mark the latest advance in the field of cancer immunotherapy using tumor-specific T cells, which is moving from proof-of-concept to a promising treatment for patients with metastatic cancer.

The research was led by Luca Gattinoni, M.D., and Nicholas P. Restifo, M.D., NCI.

Acupuncture to Reduce the Side-Effects of Chemotherapy

Acupuncture, which dates as far back as the first millennium BC, has been championed by practitioners, doctors and patients as an effective vehicle for achieving balanced health.

Acupuncture uses thin needles that are inserted just under the skin and left in place for about half-an-hour. According to Chinese medicine theory, acupuncture helps restore balance and a healthy energy flow within the body.

Although scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture works, some studies indicate that it may provide a number of medical benefits, including the reduction of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Chemotherapy is a treatment for cancers; it involves administering chemicals into the body that are toxic to malignant cells. Chemotherapy, often successful in treating malignant cancer cells, often produces intense side-effects in the body.

According to a review published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, certain types of acupuncture-point stimulation may relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting.

Despite significant progress over the past decade in controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, more than half of all patients receiving chemotherapy still suffer from these side-effects. Furthermore, nausea may persist when vomiting is controlled. These symptoms can be severely debilitating, and often lead patients to refuse further courses of chemotherapy. Refusing chemotherapy can minimize the chance of optimal health.

The acupuncture point thought to be associated with relief of nausea is P6, which is located on the wrist. This point can be stimulated through a variety of methods, including manual acupuncture (insertion of needles), electro-acupuncture (passing electric current through the inserted needle), non-invasive electro-stimulation (application of electric current without a needle), or acupressure (pressure applied by the fingers or an elastic wristband).

Patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy found that electro-acupuncture treatments combined with anti-nausea medication were more effective than medication alone in controlling their chemo-related vomiting, according to a study reported in the December 6, 2005 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

According to cancer experts, the study adds to the evidence that non-traditional therapies can be helpful to patients suffering from side-effects of chemotherapy. An increasing number of well-designed studies are focusing on complementary and alternative therapies.

Additional support for acupuncture to assist in alleviating the side-effects of chemotherapy was offered at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, in December 2000.

One hundred and four women who were undergoing high-dose chemotherapy prior to having bone marrow transplants received anti-nausea drugs. In addition, each woman received either electro-acupuncture once a day for five days, 'minimal needling' with no electrical stimulation once a day for five days, or no additional therapy.

The women who received electro-acupuncture experienced significantly less nausea and vomiting than the women who didn't receive any needling, or who had only acupuncture. The women who received acupuncture without electrical stimulation also had less nausea and vomiting than the women who received no acupuncture.

The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium offered the following 'take home message': Acupuncture may help curb nausea, one of the most feared and debilitating side-effects of high-dose chemotherapy. It may provide additional relief of nausea beyond what medication alone can achieve.

David Rosenthal, MD, Chair of the American Cancer Society's (ACS) national advisory committee on complementary and alternative medicine, agrees that more research is merited. "The effects of this treatment might vary between different chemotherapy patient populations," he says. "You would also like to know if the benefit is enough, not only in efficacy but in efficiency.

"Still," he says, "Patients are finding that acupuncture can sometimes be effective in dealing with pain, nausea, and treatment of mucositis (ulcerations in the mouth)." Acupuncture treatment is being provided at many cancer centres, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, where Rosenthal is in charge of integrative therapies. "We began offering acupuncture a month ago and the appointments are already filled," he said.
by Shelly Phegley

A Psychologist's Diary of Breast Cancer

Shock, trauma, disbelief – such inadequate words for expressing the force of the tidal wave that hits you when you're told you have got cancer. I was 34 years old when breast cancer was diagnosed and since then my life has been radically transformed. I knew early on that it was up to me to overcome this disease by being active and positive. This meant being open to new ideas about myself as well as finding out as much as I could about this phenomenon called cancer. It was quite a challenge, particularly when I heard things that scared me. But then they always said knowledge was power, they never said anything about it being happiness. Talking of power, I quickly realised that this was not always seen in a constructive light by some of the professionals with whom I came into contact. For some, my determination to be a part of my own cure was viewed as threatening, or downright awkwardness. In addition, some people found it hard to treat me as a person, first and foremost, rather than the disease. I became more assertive over time and began reminding them. This was significant because I found that once I had got a label of cancer a whole machinery of appointments, treatments, hospitalisations and check-ups cranked itself into gear, particularly within the orthodox philosophy of health care. As I experienced a wide variety of therapies, both alternative and orthodox, it seemed important to remain an individual who had my own unique way of dealing with cancer and who would not allow myself to be swallowed up by any health system, no matter how well-organised. Certainly, I gained most benefit from those approaches where I was the focus of attention rather than the cancer itself. I gradually made the decision to work alongside people whom I could respect and trust and who accorded me the same. I found it worked.

I had good days and bad days. One of the hardest things was hearing people's attempts to 'cheer' me up. I knew their intentions were well-meaning but the accumulative effect was rather dispiriting. I knew from my professional background that positive thinking was fundamental in promoting health, but being positive is not always the same as feeling happy. There was also this lurking implication that people whose cancers were not cured had not thought positively enough. This seemed a dangerous trap to fall into and a potent way to lay a guilt trip on somebody. My view matured into understanding that being positive was about being honest and that there are times, when to express emotions of anxiety, fear and anger is the most positive thing to do. Over time I learned to do this more and more – a novel development for me who had always been so reserved.

Cancer is not a discrete event – it is an unfolding process where revelation and doubt, humour and pathos interweave – a process of constant adjustment, often raw but never futile. It is a time of great paradox, for I look back at things that at first seemed so terrible and now perceive how many doors they have unlocked. And things I once believed were so right I now would no longer choose. Being active has also meant increased awareness. A tidal wave did, indeed, strike me but in its wake it has left a land that is both awesome and fertile.
by Anne-Marie Schuller

January Is Cervical Cancer Month

Imagine being diagnosed with a preventable disease in a country where access to quality health care services is not available to you. Not because you live in a remote area or because people don't care, but because the training was not available for the skilled healthcare providers treating you.

Now imagine being an HIV positive woman in this country. You may have another preventable disease that can also kill you and you don't even know about it - cervical cancer.

As a leader in international health, I see these women facing this situation far too often. Globally, 473,000 new cases and more than 250,000 deaths due to cervical cancer are reported each year. More than 85 percent of those cases occur in low resource countries where fewer than 5 percent of women have ever had a Pap test. These same women, who are the backbone of their families and countries are not just facing HIV/AIDS, but are also suffering from another disease that many do not even know they have - cervical cancer.

Women living with HIV are particularly vulnerable to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and as a result are at high risk of developing cervical cancer. According to a recent study in the Clinical Infectious Diseases, "low and middle-resource countries, where women have been hit hardest by the AIDS epidemic, have historically also had a high prevalence of human papillomavirus (the virus that causes cervical cancer)." In HIV positive women, HPV develops faster and progresses quicker to cancer. The problem is that these women are not usually screened for cervical cancer when they are in HIV/AIDS treatment programs. While we are literally saving the lives of women with HIV with antiretroviral therapy and other care services, they are at risk of dying from an easily preventable cancer.

The irony is that there are innovative low cost solutions to this problem. We can screen and treat these women before they are diagnosed with cancer and it doesn't cost much. However, there needs to be a skilled workforce trained to do the job.

For more than ten years, my organization has been working with low-resource countries around the world to provide them with low-cost, effective solutions to help women get screened. These innovations include visual inspection using acetic acid or better known as the V.I.A approach. VIA is a simple technique that uses vinegar to detect precancerous lesions on the cervix, and can be followed by treatment to freeze the lesions in the same visit (cryotherapy). Evidence shows that this simple, low-cost approach can have an important impact in reducing mortality rates from cervical cancer.

As we pause this month to commemorate women suffering from cervical cancer, we recognize that it is an international health challenge that affects all of us. Our goal should be to keep women around the world healthy and productive - not just for their families, but for their countries. It takes an integrated approach to women's health to do this, including the testing and treating women for HIV as well as cervical cancer. We can save women's lives today.

Written by Leslie Mancuso, PhD, RN, FAAN
President and CEO of Jhpiego