Cancer

"Early stage diagnosis and Screening affect survival rates in top 3 cancers" Preet K. Dhillon, PhD, MPH, Epidemiologist, Senior Scientific Officer, Public Health Foundation of India in her interview with PatientsEngage Which cancers are easy to detect at an early stage ? What is their contribution to the total number of cancer malignancies? At what rate is this growing? Of the most commonly occurring cancers in India, breast, cervix, oral and colorectal cancers are amenable…

Says Shachi Marathe, 30, eight years after their unnerving encounter. Her experience.  Age 22, File Number BX9059- Breast Cancer Carcinoma Grade 3… this was my identity for a while.  It was during that time, lying on my hospital bed, I often used to say to myself, “This is it… I’ve become accustomed (used) to fear.” Four sessions of chemo, one surgery, two more chemo sessions around the corner… But at the same time, I have to admit, I also enjoyed those eight…

While the global cancer statistics are deadly and chilling, it is easy to forget that the thousands of people around the world, who have not only 'survived' but actually become 'cancer-thrivers'. These rare folks have turned a traumatic experience into a springboard for their personal growth. Their stories are not only remarkable, but also remarkably similar, as Vijay Bhat (a Mumbai-based thriver and author of "My Cancer Is Me") shares in this video. Vijay's insights are based on his own…

Head and neck cancer specialist Dr. Vishal Rao has recently invented the Aum Voice Prosthesis is to help throat cancer patients speak and eat properly after surgery. The device, especially pioneered for the poor, costs only INR 50 (<1 USD). An interview with Dr. Vishal Rao: Tell us about your brain child – Aum? The realization of not being able to speak, first dawned on me, when I had a throat cancer patient from a village visit my clinic. He had already been …

Apart from the medical options for treatment of Ovarian Cancer, it is also recommended that lifestyle changes be made to strengthen your immune system and manage your health: Diet  Patients who consume more fruits, vegetables and whole grains strengthen their immune system, which helps to fight against disease.  Include the following cancer-fighting foods in your diet: Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and dark leafy vegetables Organic fruits, which are least exposed to…

Can ovarian cancer be prevented? Since the causes of ovarian cancer are not known, it is not possible to say what can be done to prevent ovarian cancer. You can lower the risk of ovarian factor if you: Use of oral contraceptives. Taking  birth control pills for more than 3 years lowers risk by 30 to 50%. Early first pregnancy and late last pregnancy. Full term pregnancies are more beneficial. Breast fed. The longer you breastfeed, the lower the risk. Had ovaries and fallopian…

Treatment of Ovarian Cancer usually involves chemotherapy and surgery, and sometimes radiotherapy. Surgery is the the first recommended option during the initial stage when the size of the tumour is small. The surgery may include removal of one (unilateral oophorectomy) or both ovaries (bilateral oophorectomy), the fallopian tubes (salpingectomy), and the uterus (hysterectomy). If the cancer has spread to other organ such as the digestive tract, bladder, spleen etc, removal of those parts may…

What tests do you need for Ovarian Cancer: Ovarian cancer at its early stages (I/II) is difficult to diagnose until it spreads and advances to later stages (III/IV). This is because most symptoms are non-specific and thus of little use in diagnosis. You doctor may do some of the following: Physical examination (including a pelvic, vaginal, rectal examination). For young patients, an MRI is preferred  Transvaginal ultrasound Blood test (complete blood count, serum electrolyte test) CT or…

Often there are few signs and symptoms in the early stages, which is why ovarian cancer is often detected late. In most cases, the symptoms persist for several months before being recognised and diagnosed.            These are some of the more common symptoms of Ovarian Cancer: Bloating – the abdomen feels tight, full, or with an abdominal mass Abdominal or pelvic pain Difficulty eating Urinary symptoms Constipation Abnormal vaginal bleeding Rectal bleeding…

Ovarian cancer is classified according to the histology of the tumour, obtained in a pathology report. Histology staging and grading dictates the aspects of clinical treatment, management and prognosis for each patient:    Surface epithelial-stromal tumour, also known as ovarian epithelial carcinoma, is the most common type of ovarian cancer that arises from the cells covering the surface of the ovary. Sex cord-stromal tumours are benign or malignant tumours in cells that surround…