Posts Tagged ‘Bladder’

Learn About the Stages of Ovarian Cancer Part I

Comments: 0December 22nd, 2011 by admin



In previous articles, we touched on various aspects of ovarian cancer such as symptoms, treatments (both alternative and conventional), and risks. But what are the stages of ovarian cancer?

The stages for ovarian cancer number 5, with stages I, II and III subdivided. Any discussion on stages must start with stage 0.

Stage 0 quite simply is the earliest stage that the cancerous cells have been detected at. The cancer is just forming and has not spread.

In stage I, the cancer is confined to either one or both ovaries and has not yet spread to other organs. This stage is divided into IA, IB, and IC.

In stage IA, the cancer is present inside one ovary. No cancer cells are present on the outside surface of the ovary or in the abdomen or pelvis. This is considered to be the earliest form of stage I cancer.

In stage IB, the cancer is present in both ovaries but there are still no cancer cells on the outer surfaces of the ovaries and none in the abdomen or pelvis.

Stage IC, is the most advanced form of stage I ovarian cancer. Cancer is present in either one or both of the ovaries. In addition, cancer cells may also be present on the outer surfaces of one or both ovaries. Cancer cells may have also been found in tissue samples from the abdomen.

In stage II, the cancer is present in either one or both ovaries but has also spread to other organs in the pelvis. These organs may include the bladder, rectum, uterus, Fallopian tubes or the sigmoid colon. This stage is again divided into IIA, IIB and IIC.

In stage IIA, the cancer has spread to the uterus or Fallopian tubes but cancerous cells are not yet present in the abdomen. Cancer is also in either one or both ovaries at this stage.

In the next division, stage IIB, the cancer has now spread to other pelvic organs such as the rectum or colon as well as uterus and is in the ovaries.

In stage IIC, the cancer has spread to the organs as noted above in IIB but may also be present in the outer surfaces of one or both ovaries

Stage IIA: With this stage, cancer is present in one or both of the ovaries and has spread into the uterus and/or Fallopian tubes. However, cancer cells are not present in the abdomen.

Stage IIB: With this stage, cancer is present in one or both of the ovaries and has spread to other pelvic organs, as the bladder, colon, rectum, or uterus.

Stage IIC: With this stage, cancer is present in one or both of the ovaries and has spread to either the uterus, Fallopian tubes, bladder, sigmoid colon, or rectum. In addition, cancer cells may also be present on the outer surfaces of one or both ovaries; the outer wall of a cystic ovarian tumor may have ruptured; or cancer cells may have been found in tissue samples from the abdomen.

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Natural Cure For Fibroids

Comments: 0October 15th, 2009 by admin



When considering whether to try a natural cure for fibroids, it is important to understand that unlike other growths which occur within the body, fibroids are almost always completely benign and very rarely life threatening. This means that by trying out a non-conventional method of treatment, you are not potentially causing any harm to your body by delaying surgery. Indeed, it could be the best decision you ever make!

Although fibroids can cause little or no symptoms in the vast majority of women, for others the situation is very different. For women with larger or awkwardly placed fibroids, there can be a whole host of symptoms including:

* Heavy periods
* Bladder and bowel problems
* Bloating and excessive wind
* Pain during intercourse
* Fertility problems
* Anemia

Although doctors prefer to leave fibroids alone wherever possible, it is acknowledged that there are circumstances where treatment is essential. The growth of fibroids is fueled by estrogen and when the level of this naturally falls during the menopause, the fibroids begin to shrink, so become less of a problem.

Like all surgery, fibroid surgery carries risks. These are risks such as anesthesia risks and infection. There is also a recovery period following any operation and there will inevitably be a degree of pain. The added complication with fibroid surgery is that unless a complete hysterectomy is performed, there is every possibility that the fibroids will regrow and then the operation will seem pointless. Drug treatment is not a long term option either. In the case of fibroids, there are certain drugs which will help them shrink but these can only be used as a temporary measure (such as prior to surgery) as the fibroids will begin to regrow almost immediately after stopping the treatment. These drugs are not suitable to be taken long term due to the side effects which they have.

Once you consider the problems associated with the conventional treatments, it becomes apparent why a natural cure for fibroids is a preferable option.

There are a few self help natural cures which you can try which may have a degree of success. Some doctors believe that fibroids are caused as a result of a general inflammatory condition within the body and that in women where this exists, fibroids may grow. It therefore follows that treatments which calm down inflammation may help reduce the size of fibroids. You could therefore try using the spice cumin and the herb, rosemary in your foods as these both have anti-inflammatory properties. It is also known that an excess of estrogen can cause fibroids in some women. As estrogen is partly produced by fat cells, steps to maintain a lean, healthy body will help. In addition, it is thought that some pollutants can mimic estrogen and so detoxing the body is a good way of helping cure fibroids.

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Learn About the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer

Comments: 0April 23rd, 2009 by admin



Cervical cancer attacks the cells in the cervix, gradually changing them. Since abnormal cervical cell changes rarely cause symptoms, it is important to have regular screening. If cervical cell changes progress to cervical cancer, symptoms may develop.

Symptoms of cervical cancer may include:

- Abnormal vaginal bleeding or a significant unexplained change in a woman’s menstrual cycle.
- Bleeding when something comes in contact with the cervix, such as during sexual intercourse or insertion of a diaphragm.
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
- Abnormal vaginal discharge containing mucus that may be tinged with blood.

Symptoms that may occur when your cervical cancer has progressed include:

- Anemia, because of abnormal vaginal bleeding.
- Ongoing pelvic, leg, or back pain.
- Urinary problems because of blockage of a kidney or ureter.
- Leakage of urine or fecal content into the vagina because an abnormal opening has developed between the vagina and the bladder or rectum.
- Sudden weight loss.

It should be noted that often, these symptoms are caused by other health problems or infections, not cancer. Testing is needed to make a diagnosis.

Bear in mind that these symptoms may and can take a good amount of long time to develop fully. Sometimes you can have the cancer and not even know it because no symptoms have manifested themselves. The solution to early detection and treatment is to get a regular pap screening. This way if there is something there, you can find it and prevent it from going further.

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Early Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer

Comments: 0January 25th, 2009 by admin



The problem with trying to diagnose prostate cancer early is that the symptoms of early prostate cancer are similar to those caused by benign (non-cancerous) prostate enlargement known as Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy or BPH. In fact BPH often causes more symptoms than prostate cancer and is very common in men as they get older. Many men diagnosed with prostate cancer will also have BPH. However many men who have BPH will not have prostate cancer at all.

These early prostate cancer symptoms are mainly due to obstruction of the flow of urine out of the bladder. As the prostate enlarges it makes the tube running from the bladder which carries urine out of the body narrow. This can make it difficult to pee normally.

1. Hesitancy – difficulty with starting to pee

2. Weak Stream – the stream or flow of urine is not as fast and hard as it used to be

3. Straining – you need to push the urine out

4. Prolonged Urination – it takes you longer to pee even small amounts

5. Feeling of Incomplete Emptying – the bladder still feels like there is some urine left in it after you have just emptied it.

6. Urinary Retention – the inability to empty the bladder at all

Other Symptoms are due to irritation of the bladder by the enlarged prostate. Again these symptoms are the same for BPH as they are for prostate cancer.

1. Urgency – when you need to go, you need to go now, it’s difficult to hold on

2. Frequency – you need to pee more often

3. Nocturia – you need to get up in the night to pee

4. Urge Incontinence – where you suddenly need to pee and can’t hold on so you have an accident if you can’t get to a toilet in time

If you have any of these symptoms it is worth going to see your GP to talk about them. Firstly there are many treatments that can help with the symptoms plus the doctor can check that they are due to BPH and not to prostate cancer which could need urgent treatment. If you have these symptoms the doctor may want you to have a PSA blood test or a DRE.

IMPORTANT ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER SYMPTOMS

When prostate cancer has spread outside of the prostate gland it can give symptoms from the areas it has spread to. Sometimes these are the first indication that something is wrong and the cancer is diagnosed late. They can also occur whilst a patient is being followed up (seen in clinic regularly) following treatment for prostate cancer and indicate that the cancer has progressed despite any treatment.

Where cancer invades locally around the prostate gland it can affect the nerves which supply the penis. This can lead to problems getting and sustaining an erection. It could also cause painful ejaculation or blood in the semen. There are many other causes of problems with erections (erectile dysfunction) and you should speak to you doctor about any concerns you have. There are many effective treatments available for this or it may be a sign of something more serious which needs investigating further.

Locally advanced prostate cancer can also cause pain in the pelvis or sometimes felt around the anus (back passage). This pain may be quite severe and is often persistent. Most often men would require strong pain killers from the doctor for this type of pain.

The most common site of secondary spread is the bones. This is usually felt as pain which is persistent and felt in the same place in the bones for a period of time. Sometimes this pain stops you from sleeping properly or affects the way in which you can move around and get on with daily life. There may be just one site or several bones affected at the same time.

The cancer in the bones will also cause them to be more brittle and easier to break or fracture with even minor injuries. If one of the bones in the spine collapses from being affected by cancer it can cause pressure on the spinal cord. This is the bit of the body which sends messages from the brain to the arms and legs to tell them to move and carries messages back about sensation and temperature. If the spinal cord is squashed it can cause numbness in the arms or legs and difficulty moving them. It may also affect the way you open your bowels or urinate, and is often associated with pain in the back. Cancer secondaries in the bones may also cause a high calcium level in the blood which can make you feel nauseous, sleepy, confused, constipated and have abdominal pains.

Remember there are many reasons why (especially elderly) men can get aches and pains in their bones (arthritis etc) but if you are worried you should tell you doctor. They may be able to reassure you or may want to arrange for you to have a bone scan (see earlier). This obviously helps to assess what form of treatment would be most appropriate.

When cancer is more advanced it may start to cause weight loss and a general deterioration in health. If it has spread beyond the bones to other areas of the body it could cause symptoms there e.g. cause breathlessness if spread to the lungs, cause headaches if spread to the brain.

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