Malignant melanoma is the rarest and most deadly form of skin cancer. It affects the melanocytes (the cells that produce melanin, the skin's pigment) and seems to be more prevalent among city-dwellers than among those who work outside. This seeming paradox is because scientific data indicates that episodic sun exposure resulting in burn is linked to melanoma, but constant exposure is not.
Melanoma does not necessarily occur in sun-exposed areas of the body which contributes to the belief that it is linked to brief, intense periods of sun exposure and a history of severe sunburn in childhood or adolescence.
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that metastasizes easily making it often fatal if not treated early enough. Bear in mind, however, that all statistics of melanoma come from tissue that has been examined after some form of excisional treatment or biopsy. Melanoma becomes more common with increasing age but it still appears in younger people.
A melanoma can develop in any area of the skin or from an existing mole. A typical melanoma appears as a small darkened area of skin similar in appearance to a mole. It is recognisable as being different to a mole in four different ways known as the ABCDE of melanoma: Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving.
Asymmetry: Most early melanomas are asymmetrical: a line through the middle would not create matching halves. Common moles are round and symmetrical.
Border: The edges of melanomas are often uneven and may have scalloped, notched, or blurred edges. A mole has a smooth, well-defined edge.
Color: The pigmentation of a melanoma is often not uniform, with more than one shade of brown, tan, or black. Moles are usually a single shade of brown
Diameter: A melanoma is usually larger than a mole, continues to grow and is often at least the size of a pencil eraser (about 6mm, or 1/4 inch, in diameter).
Evolving: Change in size, shape and color shade.
Types of Melanoma
Melanomas are described according to their appearance and behavior. Those that start off as flat patches (i.e. have a horizontal growth phase) include:
* Superficial spreading melanoma (SSM)
* Lentigo malignant melanoma (sun damaged skin of face, scalp and neck)
* Acral lentiginous melanoma (on soles of feet, palms of hands or under the nails - under the nails is called subungual melanoma)
Melanoma skin cancers tend to grow slowly, but at any time, they may begin to thicken or develop a nodule. When this happens they progress to a vertical growth phase.
Melanomas that grow quickly, involving deeper tissues, include:
* Nodular melanoma (presenting as a rapidly enlarging lump)
* Mucosal melanoma (arising on lips, eyelids, vulva, penis, anus)
* Desmoplastic melanoma (fibrous tumour with a tendency to grow down nerves) Melanoma may present in combinations e.g. nodular melanoma developing within a superficial spreading melanoma.
Treatment of Melanoma
Usual protocol for the treatment of melanoma is:
Biopsy to confirm.
Surgical removal with wide margins encompassing healthy tissue to ensure complete removal.
Surgical removal of lymph nodes if their involvement is suspected.
There are natural options. I have used them and seen them used on many people. The natural treatment of melanoma and other skin cancer is viable and effective. I have written a book outlining my experiences of using a herbal paste with bloodroot as one of the main ingredients. I do not sell a product, I merely present the information so that people have a source of information and can be self-informed enough to have the confidence to make their own decision.
From my own experiences and also from seeing the results on other people I can assure you that these herbs work and they work profoundly.
I hope the researched information as well as the personal experiences in my e-book may be of assistance to anyone searching for natural methods of treatment for skin cancer.
My e-book is called "How to treat Skin Cancer Naturally". Click on the link below to find out more about the book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I am a qualified medical herbalist and have studied the use of herbs for the treatment of skin cancer in depth. My e-book "How to Treat Skin Cancer Naturally" gives you the specific herbs to use for skin cancer.
What you get in this book:
- descriptions of the main skin cancers
- the possible risks of biopsy
- fully referenced and supported by scientific studies
- in depth case studies, including my own personal experience with a family member
- and I outline exactly how some important herbs work to kill skin cancer.
For More Information:
Free Cancer Information
Showing posts with label skin cancer treatment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skin cancer treatment. Show all posts
Breast Cancer Treatment Choices
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Breast cancer can be treated with a mastectomy or breast preservation surgery, lumpectomy, followed by radiation and sometimes chemotherapy. These are the best ways to prevent reoccurrence of cancer. The most common place for cancer to come back is in the same area where it was found the first time.
The determination of which treatment is best for an individual is based on the pathology of the disease. The initial biopsy, which is done when the cancer is first suspected, will tell what type of cancer is present and whether it is hormone receptive. The knowledge of hormone receptors, or not, found will be part of the decision making information for an individual's treatment. Some types of tumors are stimulated by normal hormones found in a woman's body, such as progesterone, estrogen, and HER-2. A tumor may show a positive response to one or more of these hormones. By knowing this information, a plan of treatment can be offered that will improve a woman's chances of cancer free survival.
The pathology from the surgery, done to remove the cancer tumor, will tell if the entire tumor was removed and if cancer was found in the lymph nodes. During surgery the surgeon can see the cancer tumor, but not all of the cancer cells can be visualized. So the tumor is sent to a pathologist who puts the tumor and the surrounding tissue that was removed by the surgeon under a microscope. This way cancer cells that might be outside the main tumor can be seen. The lymph nodes that were removed in surgery can also be looked at under a microscope and it can be determined if there are cancer cells found in the lymph nodes. Often a Sentinel Node can be found, if a dye is used before surgery. This dye is injected before surgery and will show which node is the main node that drains fluid from the cancer tumor site. (The lymphatic system drains non blood fluids throughout the body.)
If lymph nodes are found to have cancer cells within them the cancer has moved from the tumor site to other areas in the body. This movement of cancer cells away from the tumor indicates metastasis, or stray cancer cells that are traveling in the body. The final pathology will offer much information about the type of cancer, the location of the cancer and how best to treat the cancer to provide a cancer free life for the woman.
A woman who has been diagnosed with cancer, from a biopsy, then will see a surgeon who specializes in breast cancer. Surgery to remove the tumor is always needed, as long as the tumor is in the breast it will grow and chances are the cancer cells will travel away from the main tumor and spread throughout the body. These cells that move away from the main tumor will settle and grow into tumors in other parts of the body, not just the breast. The surgeon will ask questions about the woman's health and ask about the woman's family. If a woman has family members that have, or have had breast cancer, this information will be included in treatment decisions. The surgeon then will discuss ways to treat the cancer. A mastectomy which is a removal of the breast that has the cancer in it, with one or more lymph nodes removed is one choice. A lumpectomy which is removal of the cancer tumor and a small amount of tissue surrounding the tumor is another choice. The size of the tumor, determined by the mammogram, will influence these choices. If the tumor is large a lumpectomy may not be a good choice. The smaller the tumor, the better the chances of survival for the woman. The larger the tumor the more involved the surgery will need to be, such as a mastectomy. Sometimes chemotherapy is needed before surgery; the chemotherapy will hopefully shrink the tumor and kill cancer cells that may have moved away from the main tumor (metastasized). When this is done before the surgery, the hope is that after surgery most or all of the cancer will be gone and only radiation will be needed. Chemotherapy may be needed after surgery depending on the type and stage of the cancer.
Often the surgeon will ask a woman to see a radiation oncologist before her surgery. This consultation will allow the radiation oncologist, another cancer doctor who specializes in radiation, to review the woman's case and to offer choices of treatment. The options this doctor may offer are whole breast radiation after surgery, or partial breast radiation after surgery, or no radiation if a woman has a mastectomy and no cancer cells are found outside the breast that was removed in surgery.
One type of partial breast radiation is brachytherapy. Breast brachytherapy has been available for some time, but not all doctors are familiar with it. Brachytherapy of the breast is a good choice for some women. The size of the tumor and the location of the tumor are two of the determinations if this is a good choice. If the cancer is found out side of the breast, brachytherapy is not a choice for a woman. Brachytherapy is radiation given to the area where the cancer tumor was. This is where most cancers come back, in the same area they were to begin with. Brachytherapy can be given over five days, where as whole breast radiation if given over 6 weeks. This is an advantage for women who do not live near a cancer treatment center, women who live busy lives (most women do), or women who don't want to prolong their treatments. When a woman chooses breast brachytherapy the applicator that will allow radiation to go right into the space where the cancer was; is placed at the time of surgery. Brachy means close. It is another advantage of brachytherapy. Only the tissue around where the cancer tumor was is radiated; the normal tissue is exposed either not at all or to such a low level of radiation it is not affected by the radiation.
The brachytherapy treatments are given two times a day, at least 6 hours between treatments, for a total of ten treatments. This type of radiation requires special equipment and knowledge, many cancer centers now have both the equipment and the radiation oncologists that are specialized in this treatment.
The other type of partial breast radiation is accelerated partial breast radiation. This type of treatment also requires that the tumor is small and no cancer has been found outside the breast. This type of radiation can be given over a shortened time, days instead of weeks. The equipment to give these treatments is IMRT, which most if not all cancer centers have. This is external beam radiation that goes from the outside of the breast to the inside of the breast and radiates all of the tissue in the area. The advantages to this treatment are it takes less time, although it is also two treatments a day at least 6 hours apart, and it only radiates the portion of the breast where the cancer tumor was.
Whole breast radiation has been around for a very long time and is what all women received until the past 15 years or so. This type of radiation involves one treatment a day Monday through Friday for 6 weeks, a total of 30 treatments. It is external beam radiation that goes from the outside of the breast to the inside of the breast and radiates all of the tissue in the breast and surrounding area, not just the area where the tumor was. This type of treatment is favored when the tumor is larger or the cancer cells were found outside of the breast, such as in one or more lymph nodes. The lymph nodes can be included in the whole breast radiation. Some women will choose whole breast radiation because it has been used for so very long. Partial breast radiation has shown the same effectiveness in studies, when the woman is a candidate for brachytherapy.
Chemotherapy and biological therapy or hormone therapies are needed in specific cases. These treatment choices should be discussed with the surgeon, the radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist.
What ever choose a woman is given they need to be well understood before she makes her decision. Asking questions of her doctors and talking to her loved ones will be helpful. If a woman's decision is thought out it will probably be the best choice for her. Prayer always is beneficial.
God Bless you.
For More Detail:
Types of Skin Cancer - The Differences and The Common Ground
How Can Breast Cancer Be Treated?
The determination of which treatment is best for an individual is based on the pathology of the disease. The initial biopsy, which is done when the cancer is first suspected, will tell what type of cancer is present and whether it is hormone receptive. The knowledge of hormone receptors, or not, found will be part of the decision making information for an individual's treatment. Some types of tumors are stimulated by normal hormones found in a woman's body, such as progesterone, estrogen, and HER-2. A tumor may show a positive response to one or more of these hormones. By knowing this information, a plan of treatment can be offered that will improve a woman's chances of cancer free survival.
The pathology from the surgery, done to remove the cancer tumor, will tell if the entire tumor was removed and if cancer was found in the lymph nodes. During surgery the surgeon can see the cancer tumor, but not all of the cancer cells can be visualized. So the tumor is sent to a pathologist who puts the tumor and the surrounding tissue that was removed by the surgeon under a microscope. This way cancer cells that might be outside the main tumor can be seen. The lymph nodes that were removed in surgery can also be looked at under a microscope and it can be determined if there are cancer cells found in the lymph nodes. Often a Sentinel Node can be found, if a dye is used before surgery. This dye is injected before surgery and will show which node is the main node that drains fluid from the cancer tumor site. (The lymphatic system drains non blood fluids throughout the body.)
If lymph nodes are found to have cancer cells within them the cancer has moved from the tumor site to other areas in the body. This movement of cancer cells away from the tumor indicates metastasis, or stray cancer cells that are traveling in the body. The final pathology will offer much information about the type of cancer, the location of the cancer and how best to treat the cancer to provide a cancer free life for the woman.
A woman who has been diagnosed with cancer, from a biopsy, then will see a surgeon who specializes in breast cancer. Surgery to remove the tumor is always needed, as long as the tumor is in the breast it will grow and chances are the cancer cells will travel away from the main tumor and spread throughout the body. These cells that move away from the main tumor will settle and grow into tumors in other parts of the body, not just the breast. The surgeon will ask questions about the woman's health and ask about the woman's family. If a woman has family members that have, or have had breast cancer, this information will be included in treatment decisions. The surgeon then will discuss ways to treat the cancer. A mastectomy which is a removal of the breast that has the cancer in it, with one or more lymph nodes removed is one choice. A lumpectomy which is removal of the cancer tumor and a small amount of tissue surrounding the tumor is another choice. The size of the tumor, determined by the mammogram, will influence these choices. If the tumor is large a lumpectomy may not be a good choice. The smaller the tumor, the better the chances of survival for the woman. The larger the tumor the more involved the surgery will need to be, such as a mastectomy. Sometimes chemotherapy is needed before surgery; the chemotherapy will hopefully shrink the tumor and kill cancer cells that may have moved away from the main tumor (metastasized). When this is done before the surgery, the hope is that after surgery most or all of the cancer will be gone and only radiation will be needed. Chemotherapy may be needed after surgery depending on the type and stage of the cancer.
Often the surgeon will ask a woman to see a radiation oncologist before her surgery. This consultation will allow the radiation oncologist, another cancer doctor who specializes in radiation, to review the woman's case and to offer choices of treatment. The options this doctor may offer are whole breast radiation after surgery, or partial breast radiation after surgery, or no radiation if a woman has a mastectomy and no cancer cells are found outside the breast that was removed in surgery.
One type of partial breast radiation is brachytherapy. Breast brachytherapy has been available for some time, but not all doctors are familiar with it. Brachytherapy of the breast is a good choice for some women. The size of the tumor and the location of the tumor are two of the determinations if this is a good choice. If the cancer is found out side of the breast, brachytherapy is not a choice for a woman. Brachytherapy is radiation given to the area where the cancer tumor was. This is where most cancers come back, in the same area they were to begin with. Brachytherapy can be given over five days, where as whole breast radiation if given over 6 weeks. This is an advantage for women who do not live near a cancer treatment center, women who live busy lives (most women do), or women who don't want to prolong their treatments. When a woman chooses breast brachytherapy the applicator that will allow radiation to go right into the space where the cancer was; is placed at the time of surgery. Brachy means close. It is another advantage of brachytherapy. Only the tissue around where the cancer tumor was is radiated; the normal tissue is exposed either not at all or to such a low level of radiation it is not affected by the radiation.
The brachytherapy treatments are given two times a day, at least 6 hours between treatments, for a total of ten treatments. This type of radiation requires special equipment and knowledge, many cancer centers now have both the equipment and the radiation oncologists that are specialized in this treatment.
The other type of partial breast radiation is accelerated partial breast radiation. This type of treatment also requires that the tumor is small and no cancer has been found outside the breast. This type of radiation can be given over a shortened time, days instead of weeks. The equipment to give these treatments is IMRT, which most if not all cancer centers have. This is external beam radiation that goes from the outside of the breast to the inside of the breast and radiates all of the tissue in the area. The advantages to this treatment are it takes less time, although it is also two treatments a day at least 6 hours apart, and it only radiates the portion of the breast where the cancer tumor was.
Whole breast radiation has been around for a very long time and is what all women received until the past 15 years or so. This type of radiation involves one treatment a day Monday through Friday for 6 weeks, a total of 30 treatments. It is external beam radiation that goes from the outside of the breast to the inside of the breast and radiates all of the tissue in the breast and surrounding area, not just the area where the tumor was. This type of treatment is favored when the tumor is larger or the cancer cells were found outside of the breast, such as in one or more lymph nodes. The lymph nodes can be included in the whole breast radiation. Some women will choose whole breast radiation because it has been used for so very long. Partial breast radiation has shown the same effectiveness in studies, when the woman is a candidate for brachytherapy.
Chemotherapy and biological therapy or hormone therapies are needed in specific cases. These treatment choices should be discussed with the surgeon, the radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist.
What ever choose a woman is given they need to be well understood before she makes her decision. Asking questions of her doctors and talking to her loved ones will be helpful. If a woman's decision is thought out it will probably be the best choice for her. Prayer always is beneficial.
God Bless you.
For More Detail:
Types of Skin Cancer - The Differences and The Common Ground
How Can Breast Cancer Be Treated?
Types of Skin Cancer - The Differences and The Common Ground
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Do a search for "the types of skin cancer" and you'll find lots of information. The 3 types of skin cancer most common, as you will find out are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma, in that order.
You can find it described in medical terms or simplified in the words of a layman. It's very useful for you to know how it appears and grows and see the photos of it.
I'll cover each one of them and tell you what I conclude to be of most importance about all of them, even the more rare types not covered here.
Starting with basal cell, it rarely spreads and grows slowly. It first appears as a small growth on your skin, often undetected at first. It doesn't usually pose a big threat, but in time it could.
Here's a little experience I recently had. I noticed a small growth on my jaw line. After a few weeks there was another little tiny one next to it. I immediately went to my dermatologist and it was biopsied as basal cell carcinoma. It was 100% removed by mohs surgery and found to have travelled about 3 inches beyond what was visible to the eye. GLAD I WENT! It had been invisibly there for quite some time.
The next is squamous cell carcinoma. It also grows slowly and can be hard to notice in the early stages. It can be more serious than basal cell in that it can spread inward to vital organs. It first appears as a growth and can be quite innocent looking. I had an experience with this back in 1990. It had progressed to a stage 3 and it took the entire conventional arsenal to destroy it,...Chemotherapy...Major surgery...and Radiation.
The third of the most common types of skin cancer is malignant melanoma, the most deadly. It can appear as a new mole growth, freckle or an existing one showing some changes. Melanoma can spread rather quickly to internal organs without being detected; therein lays the deadly danger. That is why you should see a dermatologist to have those moles checked out, especially when you see any changes. It wouldn't be a bad idea to go once a year if you're over 40 years old and definitely if you're over 50.
So you see how the three types of skin cancer differ, but pay closer attention to what they all have in common and that is GROWTH ON YOUR SKIN. You can go to the internet and learn what the different ones look like but keep in mind that they all are an unusual growth on your skin. Growth isn't limited to elevation alone; it could be a change in skin color, spreading of the discoloration or a patch of dry scaly skin,...anything unusual. It also may not match up with any description or photo you see. It's all cause for concern and warrants a visit to your health professional.
So the big message here is for you to play a big role in early detection by being aware yourself. Notice what's going on and spot it even before your doctor does.
And the good news is that they are all most highly curable when detected early.
For More Detail:
Skin Cancer - Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
Skin Cancer - Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
Saturday, 13 August 2011
In the United States, Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) accounts for 90 percent of all skin cancers in the southern states, and 47 percent in the northern states. Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer in Australia and New Zealand, representing 70-80% of diagnosed skin cancers. Occurrence of Basal Cell Carcinoma mainly occurs on the head and neck. It occurs less often in Asians and rarely among darker skinned races. As with all skin cancers the risk is considered to be related to sun exposure. The positive about Basal Cell Carcinoma is that it is slow-growing and rarely metastasizes throughout the body. However, it is locally destructive and can invade neighboring bone and nerve tissue.
Description - BCC is a malignant epithelial cell tumor that begins as a papule (a small, circumscribed, solid elevation of the skin) and enlarges peripherally, developing into a crater that erodes, crusts and bleeds. BCC originates in the basal layer of the epidermis, the lowest layer of skin.
Signs and Symptoms of Basal Cell Carcinoma - There are five typical characteristics of basal cell carcinoma that are quite different from each other. Two or more features are frequently present in one tumor. BCC sometimes resembles non-cancerous skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema and requires diagnosis by a trained person. The five warning signs of basal cell carcinoma are:
1. An open sore that bleeds, oozes or crusts, and remains open for three or more weeks. A persistent, non-healing sore is a very common early manifestation.
2. A reddish patch or an irritated area, frequently occurring on the chest, shoulders, arms or legs. Sometimes the patch crusts. It may also itch or hurt. At other times, it persists with no noticeable discomfort.
3. A smooth growth with an elevated, rolled border and an indentation in the centre. As the growth slowly enlarges, tiny blood vessels may develop on the surface (telangiectases).
4. A shiny bump (nodule) that is pearly or translucent and is often pink, red or white. The nodule can also be tan, black or brown, especially in dark-haired people, and can be confused with a mole or melanoma.
5. A scar-like area (white, yellow, or waxy in appearance) which often has poorly defined borders. The skin itself appears shiny or taut. Although a less frequent sign, it can indicate the presence of a more aggressive tumor.
Diagnosis of Basal Cell Carcinoma - Diagnosis is almost always by biopsy. Tissue is cut away from the site and examined under a microscope.
Medical Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma - Allopathic treatment depends on the size and type of tumor. There are various types of surgery or non-surgical treatments chosen from.
Non-surgical treatment of BCC - Allopathic non-surgical treatments have low success rates.
* Topical application of 5-fluorouracil for 2 to 12 weeks is only beneficial for superficial BCC. Fluorouracil is used to prevent excess cell proliferation as found in skin cancer and psoriasis. It prevents the formation of RNA which in turn prevents the formation of DNA.
* Imiquinoid cream -currently the use of Imiquinoid cream is considered experimental. It is an immune response modifier that stimulates the immune system to release cytokines that destroy cancer cells. Treatment causes significant skin irritation. Not all types of BCC are affected.
* Ionizing radiation: Superficial x-ray. It results in radiation damage, therefore it is used more with older patients. Impaired immune function and general malaise also usually results. Used for facial BCC and appears less effective for BCC occurring elsewhere.
Surgical Removal of BCC - Surgery is the most studied, and most used treatment for removal of a BCC in allopathic medicine. The effectiveness of surgery depends very much on the skill of the surgeon. Various surgical methods:
* Electrodessication and Curettage - the BCC is burned and removed with a scalpel. The main disadvantage of this method is that the tumor often tracks down hair follicles. (9)
* Cryosurgery - liquid nitrogen to freeze burn the BCC.
* Excision surgery- the BCC is cut from the skin with a scalpel. To increase the likelihood of complete removal of the tumor, a portion of normal-appearing skin surrounding the BCC is removed.
* Microscopic or MOHS surgery - the BCC is cut from the skin, along with some of the healthy surrounding tissue. This is examined under a microscope to check for any remaining cancer cells. Tissue is then taken in increments of thin layers of skin, until no more cancer cells are detected. Mohs is the most effective allopathic medical treatment (99% cure rate for primary BCC, 90-95% for recurrent BCC).
* Laser surgery. Lasers are also used as a secondary therapy when topical medications or other techniques are unsuccessful.
Recurrence of BCC - Once a basal cell carcinoma has been removed, another growth can develop in the same place or nearby area. It has been found that 36% of people who develop a basal cell carcinoma will develop a secondary primary BCC within the next 5 years. Radiotherapy can result in more aggressive and invasive cells in a recurrent BCC.
Effective Alternative Treatments
But there are natural treatments that are worth trying and have proven to be safe and effective. You can read the full text of this article in the e-book entitled "How to Treat Skin Cancer Naturally". The book includes descriptions of different types of Basal Cell Carcinoma as well as images and additional text. It covers other types of skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma) with helpful information on various methods and herbs such as bloodroot applications. Real cases of people who have successfully used these methods are included.
About the Author:
I am a qualified medical herbalist and have studied the use of herbs for the treatment of skin cancer in depth.
My e-book "How to Treat Skin Cancer Naturally" gives you the specific herbs to use for skin cancer.
What you get in this book:
- descriptions of the main skin cancers,
- the possible risks of biopsy,
- fully referenced and supported by scientific studies
- in depth case studies, including my own personal experience with a family member
- and I outline exactly how some important herbs work to kill skin cancer.
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