Cancer

The usual symptoms are: Any change in the shape and size of the breast Swelling or lump in any part of the breast Breast pain other than the usual tenderness before periods Any unusual discharge or blood stained discharge from the nipple Redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin Inverted nipple (turned in) Pitting of the skin over breast like the skin of an orange A lump or swelling in the armpit

Are you at risk of developing breast cancer? You may be if you  Are female (risk is much more for women than men) Are a woman over 40  (risk increases with age) Have a history of a benign breast conditions such as atypical ductal hyperplasia and fibrocystic breast changes Have a history of breast cancer in one breast which increases your risk of getting cancer in the other breast Have family members (esp mother, aunt, daughter and maternal grandmother) who have had breast cancer…

Lymphoma is the name for a group of blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. The two main types are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).    

Chemotherapy is a standard line of treatment for many cancers. However, it does come with side effects. Dr Shital Patel explains the common side effects due to chemotherapy like mouth sores, nausea, dry skin, vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss and more and how to get relief from them.   Chemotherapy is a type of therapy where single or combination of drugs are given to control cancer and halt/slow progression & growth. They work by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, leading to cell…

The delay in diagnosis changes the prognosis, treatment approach, and the cost associated with it, dramatically By Jame Abraham, M.D, FACP, Cleveland Clinic Arathi is a 47-year-old, highly successful systems engineer from Mumbai. About six months ago, she noticed some discomfort in her left breast. When she raised her arm above her head to comb her hair, she noticed some skin changes on the left breast. But she chose to ignore that, too. When she developed a constant nagging pain in her…

Says Dr V Shanta, cancer specialist and the Chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai. Lung cancer, which is related to smoking, is today the top cancer in the country. Within the year, 15.5% of 13 to 15-year-olds are going to start smoking. Don’t let your child be one of them. Plus, how smoking harms non-smokers, too.  1. How grave is the health problem posed by tobacco use in India? How much of it relates to smoking cigarettes, beedis and how much is it due to consumption of gutka,…

Why your child is at risk and what to say to him or her. By Dr Shital Raval Patel. When you think of a smoker, you don’t think of a 10-year-old. But 67% of smokers in India start the tobacco habit between the ages of 9 and 15. According to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (2006), more than one third of students aged 13 to 15 years (36.8%) reported initiating tobacco use before the age of 10 (Sinha et al., 2008). This could be cigarettes, bidis (which have three times the amount of nicotine and…

World No Tobacco Day is on May 31. Cancer survivor Vandana Gupta (VG), the founder of V Care, a support service for cancer patients and their families in India, talks about the urgent need to protect your kids and family members from the widespread scourge of tobacco use. Plus, what to say to kids who think smoking is cool.  PE: Your organisation, V Care, offers support to different types of cancer patients. What are the specific challenges pertaining to …

The risk was especially high among men who started using supplements before age 25, those who used multiple supplements, and those who used them for years. A new study links taking muscle-building supplements, such as pills and powders with creatine or androstenedione, with an increased risk of testicular cancer. Moreover, says study senior author Tongzhang Zheng, the associated testicular germ cell cancer risk was especially high among men who started using supplements before age 25,…

Prem's startling discovery of the root cause of his wife’s altered personality. Prompt diagnosis and treatment gave him back the woman he had married.  In the summer of 2012, my wife’s behaviour started to change. Initially we attributed it to age-activated attention deficit disorder (AAADD). We noticed that she was forgetful, moving from one chore to another unmindful of the earlier one. She showed signs of indifference, depression and withdrawal.  These…