Articles about Cancer
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer is a malign affection of the cervix area. The cervix is part of the female reproductive system and it is situated in the pelvis area. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus. The role of the cervix during intercourse is that of helping sperm to reach the uterus and during pregnancy it is closed in order to keep the baby inside the uterus.
The main cause of cervical cancer is the HPV infection. This is triggered by the human papillomavirus or for short, HPV. This is the cause for almost all cases of cervical cancer. However, not all women wearing the HPV develop cervical cancer. This has not found a certain explanation, nut there are some factors that are considered to increase the risk. Among these, we can count a weakened immune system like in the cases of women suffering from AIDS or taking immune system suppressing drugs, sexual history, the prolonged use of birth control pills or having many children. Another risk fact is called DES or diethylstilbestrol and it takes effect in the cases of women that were exposed to it during their intrauterine life. This drug used to be given to pregnant women in the period of 1940-1971 in the US, but this is not the case anymore.
What makes cervical cancer so dangerous is the fact that in its early stages, there are not usually any symptoms, However, when these appear, they may manifest as abnormal vaginal bleeding, abnormal vaginal discharge or pain in the pelvis area. Bleeding may occur between the menstrual periods, during or after having sex or after menopause. In addition, sexual intercourse may provoke unusual pain. A women having these symptoms has to see a medical doctor in order to diagnose their cause. These can also be due to an infection, not necessarily to cervical cancer.
To detect and diagnose cervical cancer, a women has to make a Pap test, also called a Pap smear. Generally, this test is not painful and it can be done is a doctor’s office during a ginecologinal visit. It is done by scratching some cells from the cervix and analyzing them. After this analyze, the abnormal cells are detected. Nevertheless, most of the cells that do not develop normally are not dangerous. If abnormal cells are found or HPV infection is detected, then the doctor may recommend a biopsy or a colposcopy.
The treatment for cervical cancer includes three available methods: surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. Each patient has the possibility to choose the most convenient alternative, but the course of treatment is mostly decided by the stage of the cancer. Moreover, women that want to have a baby someday may have a certain preference. Before starting the actual treatment, a long discussion with the doctor is recommended so that the patient truly understands the implications of cancer treatment. This usually affects the every day life and it is always better for the patient to know what will follow.
Fighting cancer is a long and difficult battle and any support given to the person suffering is welcome and helpful.
Eye cancer
If you have blurred, decreased or double vision or sometimes vision loss it means that, if you are not very tired, you have eye cancer. This type of cancer at the beginning cannot be spotted unless a specialist checks you out. Extremely dangerous the eye cancer spreads from one eye to another like leukemia. Eye cancer doesn’t select its victims after a peculiar pattern, it is not so exigent. It affects every human person from 1 to 100 years and also animals. As every cancer this is not to be neglected and most be prevented since childhood. Recent studies showed that children are much more predisposed to it that adults due to the amount of time spent in front of the PC or television.
Over the years scientists studied the problem and discovered that there are two types of intraocular cancer: primary and secondary. From intraocular primary cancer we can mention for adults lymphoma (starts in lymphocytes- immune system cells) and melanoma (evolves in the muscle that focuses the eye, in the iris, in the inner surface of eye lids or in the lining of the eye ball); for children retinoblastoma (from cells in the retina) and extremely rare medulloepithelioma. Secondary intraocular cancers are the ones transmitted from other parts of the body. Most common are transmitted from lung or breast cancer to the part of the eye called uvea (a blood vessel that feeds the retina). Eye cancers such as melanoma can be caused by different factors such as light and moles but it can also be caused by the color of the eye. For example if you have blue, green or grey eyes you are much more predisposed for melanoma that the people with dark eyes. Other factor for eye cancer can be HIV infection and low immunity.
But enough with bad news let’s see how we can get rid of it and we have four types of treatment: biopsy, laser therapy, chemotherapy and enucleation (removal of the entire eyeball). Each of these treatments has side effects that can be removed or not. If you select biopsy you are predisposed to hemorrhages, infections or cataracts. Laser therapy is sometimes followed by dry eye, cataract, chorioretinal atrophy and even eye lash loss. By selecting chemotherapy you can suffer of hair loss, bone marrow depression, nausea and vomiting, etc.
I have learned from experience that it is better to prevent every possible disease. In this case we can see a doctor at regular bases especially when we are talking about blue, green or grey eyes; we can study our family’s history to see if there are such cases and live a healthy life with an adequate nutrition, limited exposures to direct light and heat. My personal best advice is to eat lots of carrots or vegetables rich in vitamin C, fish meat and less time spent in front of the television. A good side, if there is one, is that you can buy yourself expensive sun glasses with high UV protection, prevent cancer and also be in trends.
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