Prevent Yourself From Being a Source of Skin Cancer Pictures

Posted by in Skin Cancer on November 29, 2011

By Wendy Lau

Skin cancer is a very prevalent condition, especially among fair-skinned people like the Caucasians. If you scan the internet for skin cancer pictures, you will surely be scared and will be looking up ways on how to prevent getting the condition. In this article, I will be talking about the basics of skin cancer and some preventive methods which one can employ to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun.

Skin cancer is considered as a collective term for three cancer conditions: melanoma, basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. It is one of the most common types of cancer that is found among humans, and it has been estimated that a million get diagnosed of this disease yearly.

Among the three mentioned above, 90% of skin cancer patients have basal cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinoma is caused by exposure to UV rays that come from the sun and tanning booths. There are tanning booths that are already UV-ray free, but still a lot of these machines make use of UV rays to give you that naturally tanned look.

When looking at skin cancer pictures, basal cell carcinoma will come out like a small bump in the skin with visible blood vessels. It is shiny in appearance and might come out looking like a mole. Actually, in order to diagnose basal cell carcinoma, a biopsy has to be done.

Having fair skin is a big risk factor when it comes to the progression of squamous cell carcinoma. The love for sunbathing and having fair skin is a dangerous combination when it comes to the development of this condition. Squamous cell carcinoma also differs from basal cell carcinoma in a way that squamous cell carcinoma can metastasize to other areas of the body.

Of the three, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. A lot of deaths have been attributed to melanoma, as compared to those of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. With melanoma, you will have to observe for the development of new moles or a change in the size and shape of an old mole. If this happens, consult your doctor immediately.

So, how do you protect yourself from the development of skin cancer? One great tip would be to avoid the sun. However, we all know that avoiding the sun is impossible. The next best thing that we can do then is to protect ourselves from the sun. To protect your skin, you can make use of umbrellas, light jackets or sweaters, long sleeved shirts and the like.

If you are a sun worshipper, you should always have a good sunblock with you and you should know which hours of the day to avoid the sun. Now, a lot of issues circulate over which SPF amount is best for sun protection. Actually, you have to have a sunblock that has SPF 15 or greater in order to adequately protect yourself. You also would have to reapply it from time to time to reinforce the protection. You also have to avoid the sun during the hours of 11am to 4pm. However, with today’s climate change, even the 9am sun is already painful.

Getting skin cancer is no joke. You may not realize it now because you are young, but UV rays accumulate over time, and you should therefore limit your sun exposure to the bare minimum. And never forget to bring with you your trusty sunblock.

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Facts You Might Not Be Aware Of About Breast Cancer

Posted by in Breast Cancer on November 29, 2011

By Emma Wanjiku

Breast cancer in women has been on the decline and this is being related to more awareness and early screening. Cancer of the breast is the leading cause of death in women followed by lung cancer. More cases of this cancer have been reported in the developed counties compared to the developing countries. Out of every 36 deaths in women, one of them is likely to have died from cancer of the breast. According to the American Cancer Society, around 1.3 million women world wide are diagnosed with the cancer and 465,000 women die due to the disease.

It occurs when the damaged cells or the cells that are supposed to die off start to multiply uncontrollably causing a mass known as a tumor. The tumor can form in the ducts or the lobules in both men and women but more common in women. The best way to detect cancer of the breast early is by going for regular mammograms. This is an x ray of the breast.

Treatment of cancer will depend on the stage, rate of growth of the tumor, its size and the stage. Some of the treatment options include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. Treatment can also involve multiple therapies. Early detection of breast cancer is important because treatment will be more effective. This together with proper treatment will also reduce the chances of death from the condition.

According to statistics by the National Cancer Institute, although all women can get breast cancer, the risk is higher with not only age but also race. 77% of reported cases of cancer of the breast are usually of women over the age of 50. They also conclude that;

Cancer of the breast is likely to be detected late in African American women making their death rates higher compared to white women. However, the death rates for white women over the age of 70 are higher than those of African women of the same age.

In the United States, white, African American women and Hawaiian women have the highest incidences of developing invasive breast cancer compared to Vietnamese, Korean and American Indian women.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, white women have the highest incidences of this cancer followed by black, Hispanic, Asian and American Indians. Black women have the higher rates of death from the cancer followed by white, Hispanic, American Indians and Asian women.

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How To Improve Breast Cancer Patients Quality Of Life

Posted by in Breast Cancer on November 29, 2011

By Irene Lizarraga

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a life changing event and many people have problems keeping their spirits up after such an announcement. Whether is you or a close friend or relative suffering from cancer, it’s important to remain optimistic and avoid depression and stress. While not a replacement for conventional therapy, some of the following techniques and therapies can help you fight depression and encourage your body to fight cancer more effectively.

Meditation

Many people find comfort on meditation, and learning how to keep your mind still even in challenging circumstances can go a long way towards avoiding falling victim of despair. There are many meditation techniques that can help you get a better understanding of your body and your thought processes, and so identify and avoid negative thoughts and attitudes that can lead to depression. Since a depressed person is often more at risk of infections and recovers more slowly from the side effects of breast cancer treatment, meditation can be a good non-chemical alternative to conventional anti-depressants.

Yoga

Yoga is an ideal sport for cancer patients because it helps settle down the mind and increases body awareness, without requiring excessive effort or strength that wouldn’t be suitable for somebody going through cancer treatment. There are many different Yoga schools, and it’s worth talking with your doctor about it as a way to stay fit and help your body recover from chemo or radiotherapy. It is said that by enhancing your own immune system through this kind of exercise, your body can better fight the cancerous cells and so increase the effects of conventional therapies without having to take more medicine.

Aromatherapy

Some essential oils are said to reduce nausea and improve overall wellbeing, so it may be worth including them on your relaxation routine in the form of essential oils baths or even massages. Massages are said to improve general wellbeing and can help cancer sufferers improve their quality of life even when under heavy treatment. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on professional massaging, many people find a simple home massage machine or their partner’s hands a perfect way to relax and feel better about their chances of beating cancer.

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