You Too Can Prevent Cancer, Including Breast Cancer

Cancer, breast cancer and breast cancer symptom can be prevented and may be cured with out any magic bullet according to two time Nobel Prize winner DR. OTTO WARBURG.

In 1931, DR. OTTO WARBURG who won his first Nobel Prize for his work on the cause of Cancer, claims that cancer begins to thrive in your body due to a lack of oxygen respiration in cells. DR. WARBURG'S research proves that cancer is no longer mystical, but infact occurs when any cell is denied 60% of it's oxygen requirement needed to produce energy.

According to DR. WARBURG, cancer unlike other diseases, may have many other secondary causes, but there is just the one prime cause, which relates to the oxygen requirement for cellular respiration.

He continues to explain that all normal body cells meet their energy needs by aerobic cellular respiration, whereas cancerous cells can only meet their energy needs in great parts through the process of fermentation, or anaerobically.

Cellular respiration, being a normal every day process of your healthy working body is required by every cell in order to produce energy for your body to function effectively, or you may experience breast cancer or breast cancer symptom.

As the blood picks up oxygen from the lungs, this oxygen must be efficiently circulated throughout the body to distribute nutrients and to produce energy in the cells. Any obstruction due to the clumping of plaque, from free radicals oxidation of LDL cholesterol, toxins and carcinogens, or from unhealthy blood platelets activities, inhibits the needed oxygen requirement of 60% for optimum cellular respiration according to DR. WARBURG, thus creating the formation of malignant cells.

For More Information, Please visit: http://www.bhealthyalways.com

Treatment of Breast Cancer

Stages Breast cancer has several stages starting from early to advanced stage. You can detect early stage after a few weeks of development. At the advanced stage cancer spread to other organs. Depending on the stage the treatment varies. Reoccurrence of breast cancer happens in case of malignant tumors.

Where it can spread It can spread to the back and hip bones, lungs, liver and brain.

What are the treatments for breast cancer? Breast cancer is treated by surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. Generally two or more treatments are combined together for better effect. Doctors combine surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and radiation. The treatment varies depending on many factors like the patient, the stage of breast cancer and instance of reoccurrence.

Surgery: Lumpectomy or the removal of the lump is a technique in surgery. Doctor may need to remove lymph nodes from your armpit or breast depending on the stage.

Chemotherapy: Drugs and medicines are used which restrict or stop cancer cell growth. These medicines may also reduce the size of the lumps and tumors. Some medicines even kill the tumours.

Hormonal therapy: Doctors use some anti-estrogen, aromatase inhibitors or LHRH analogues to stop the hormone estrogen production and effects. Estrogen is a sex hormone found in women body which helps in growth of the breast cancer. When Estrogen is stopped then the growth of the tumours also ceased.

Radiation therapy: X-rays or other high-energy rays are used to kill the cancer cells. These rays are applied to the tumours and surrounding areas.

Bikash is an MBA who works as an freelance writer. He worked for on eof the best private banks in India. He has been writing for the last 5 years. He has worked with many US,UK and Indian clients.

Visit him at http://bikiassam.tripod.com

Breast Cancer - Myths

Myth: An individual will probably get breast cancer if her mother or grandmother had it.

If an individual's mother or grandmother has had breast cancer does not necessarily mean that they will end up with it even though they are in a higher risk group. Most women who end up getting breast cancer do not have a family history of it. It is recommended that you have a mammogram done if your mother, sister, grandmother or daughter had or has breast cancer.

Myth: Breast cancer is caused by the birth control pill.

This is not true. Contraceptive pills have small quantities of the hormones progesterone and estrogen which is often linked with increased risk of breast cancer. Despite the presence of these two hormones and the prolonged use for a period of 10 years and more it does not cause breast cancer. Birth control pills have some benefits too. They are, they decrease the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer, they relieve pelvic inflammatory disease, menstrual disorders and they improve the bone mineral density.

Myth: Only women get breast cancer - Men do not get the disease.

This is not true. Though the percentage is smaller men do get breast cancer, therefore, it is important for men too to exam themselves monthly and report any changes noticed to their doctor immediately. In 2004, it was estimated that around 1450 men with breast cancer and that 470 will eventually die from it.

Myth: Lawn chemicals, pesticides and dry cleaning services cause breast cancer.

A few small studies have shown this as a possibility but larger studies on this subject have indicated otherwise.

Myth: You are likely to get breast cancer if you have a risk factor.

This is not so. Even if you have a breast cancer gene abnormality, which is one of the stronger risk factors, it does not mean you will end up with cancer. 40% to 80% of women with an inherited genetic abnormality, that is, BRCA1 or BRCA2 may sometime in their life develop breast cancer. 20% to 60% will not develop it. The presence of all other risk factors poses very little threat.

Myth: If you have a lump in your breast you will get breast cancer.

This is not so as it is found that eight out of ten lumps are not malignant or cancerous. If you discover any abnormalities or even a persistent lump in your breast it is best you consult your physician at once as early detection would result in better treatment and recovery.

Myth: Breast cancer will end up in death.

This is not so. 80% of the breast cancer diagnosed women show no spread of the cancer cells beyond the breast or to nearby lymph nodes. Also 80% of these women continue to live for a further five years and some even longer.

Myth: Younger women run a higher risk of breast cancer than older women.

As a woman gets older the risk of her getting breast cancer is also higher as age is one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer. It is therefore important for a woman starting from the age of about forty to self examine her breasts monthly for any lumps or irregularities; get regular mammograms and a clinical breast examination done yearly in order to detect an early development of cancer. Women in the age group 20 - 40 should also carry out monthly self breast examination and clinical breast examinations every three years or so.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

An Overview Of Breast Cancer

Many women consider their breasts to be their defining feature and cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of the world. As the name signifies, cancer of the breast, or breast cancer, is a type of cancer. It is predominantly a female disease and it is one of the most common forms of cancer. In the United States alone, approximately 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, though the figure is somewhat lower in countries like Canada and Australia. It is also a major cause of cancer deaths in women. The majority of patients are women who have crossed the menopause stage. Birth control pills also increase the chances of its occurrence as do treatments like HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). Being overweight and the excessive consumption of alcohol also contribute significantly to it. The occurrence of breast cancer in family members can increase the chances as there is a gene which can be inherited.

What is Breast Cancer? Simply put, cancer of the tissues in breast is called breast cancer. It usually surfaces in the form of a lump or tumor in and around the breast. Every lump found in the breasts is not necessarily an indicator of breast cancer; sometimes it may not be associated with breast cancer at all. It is normal for lumps to be formed, especially during the growing up stage. They can also be formed as a result of hormonal changes and they are usually temporary.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

It is not possible to detect this disease in the starting stages. The symptoms start appearing slowly and slowly as the disease progresses. They could be anything like:

. A lump or swelling in the breast or adjoining area like the underarm.
. Increase or decrease in the shape or size of the breasts.
. Dimpling or change in the color of the skin
. Discharge from the nipples.

Factors that increase the risk of Breast Cancer

. Contraceptives.
. Hormone therapy.
. Overweight.
. Alcohol.
. Age factor.
. Genes.
. Dairy products.

How To Detect Breast Cancer

Early detection of breast cancer is vital to cure the disease. The sooner it is detected, the better. The chances of curing it are more if detected in the early stages. It is very difficult to cure it in the advanced stages. There are many ways to find out if you are suffering from breast cancer. A few of them are:

. Medical examination of breasts and armpits by a doctor, at least once in a year.
. Mammogram, especially if you are above 40 years of age.
. Ultrasound, can be done separately or combined with other tests.
. BSE (Breast Self-Examination).
. Biopsy.

Types of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer occurs broadly in two places, lobules or the milk ducts. They are:

. Invasive lobular carcinoma - Cancer originated in the lobules, but has now spread.
. Invasive ductal carcinoma - Cancer, which originated in the milk ducts but has spread.
. Lobular carcinoma in situ - Cancer in the lobules.
. Ductal carcinoma in situ - Cancer in the milk ducts.

Treatments available for Breast Cancer

There are various options available for its treatment. Some of them are:

. Surgery.
. Radiation Therapy.
. Chemotherapy.
. Hormone Treatment.

Prevention of Breast Cancer

The most important aspect of this dangerous and fatal disease is prevention. The various treatment options are costly and damaging to the body. The old saying prevention is better than cure is aptly applicable to this disease. Prevention of breast cancer is more important than its cure. Routine medical examinations and immediate medical advice in case of suspected symptoms can greatly reduce the chances of breast cancer spreading.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Surgery

Apart from the physical scars, most of the discomfort and physical changes from the treatment are only temporary. Once the cancer patient has worked hand in hand with her physician to come up with an effective treatment plan, the physician can provide assessments of the potential side effects and recovery time that the she will likely experience in relation to specific social responsibilities and future career.

The standard surgery for local control of breast cancer involves the removal of cancerous breast tissue. The underlying thorax muscles (pectoralis major and pectoralis minor), are left unresected. This advancement in breast cancer surgery has significantly reduced postoperative pain and recovery time, but, more importantly, patients are spared the long term disability of having muscles resected. If you underwent a lumpectomy (surgical removal of a small tumor or lump, which may or may not be benign or malignant) without lymph node dissection (a surgical procedure in which the lymph nodes are removed and examined to see whether they contain cancer), you will most likely have surgery and be discharged on the same day. Recovery from surgery will take much longer if the axillary lymph nodes are also removed. With the removal of the axillary lymph nodes, lymph flow of the breast is partially interrupted and a soft rubber tube is placed in the wound, which will serve as a temporary lymph fluid drainage. The length of hospital stay for lumpectomy and lymph node dissection or breast resection with lymph node removal is usually one to two days.

The temporary drain from the lymph node empties into an expandable container about the size of a softball. The container is usually emptied daily and the amount of fluid disposed is recorded. Several days postoperatively, the amount of fluid rapidly decreases, at which time the surgeon removes the drain. In the presence of dissected lymph nodes, most surgeons would advise immobilization of the affected arm, as much as possible, for a couple of days after the surgery to allow for quick wound healing and to keep lymphatic flow as minimal as possible. Once the drain is out with the surgical wound visibly healing, it is beneficial to begin gentle and progressive exercises of the arm to prevent limitation of joint motion from scarring and contracture. Some surgeons advise their patients to do active exercises, while others refer them for physical therapy, especially those patients who have undergone lymphadenectomy (surgical removal of the lymph nodes). It is usual for the cancer patient to discuss with her surgeon what the best option would be for her.

After the lymph node resection, most patients will experience numbness in the armpit area due to the cutting of the nerves around the armpit region. Sensory function will often return after several months postoperatively when the nerves have grown back and regenerated. On the other hand, some patients will have permanent numbness and sensory impairment here. For those who experience this disappearance of sensation, one must be extra careful particularly in shaving underarm hair. It would be wise to use an electric razor when doing this.

With lymphadenectomy, a small percentage of patients develop an obstructed vein along the inner side of the affected upper arm that feels like a thin cord and will likely restrict arm movement. If this happens, thermotherapy, specifically heat therapy and stretching exercises should be done to achieve the full range of arm movement again.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer - Reconstruction

One of the treatment options with breast cancer is a mastectomy, or removal of the breast. Depending on risk factors and genetic issues, some women have both breasts removed. Reconstruction is the rebuilding of one or both breasts. Reconstruction cannot completely replace a lost breast, but some women decide to have it done either at the time of the mastectomy, which is immediate reconstruction or at a later date, known as delayed reconstruction. It is a very personal decision that is usually based on how the patient feels about their body and breasts. Some women chose to have no reconstruction and use what is called a breast form.

One type of reconstruction makes use of synthetic implants. They can be either silicone filled or saline filled. Sometimes a temporary expander will be used if the implant is too large to insert under the skin and muscle of the chest wall. When an expander is used, it is injected every few weeks with a small amount of saline to gently stretch the skin and muscle to the size of the implant, at which time the actual implant will be inserted. This usually takes three to six months.

The other type of reconstruction makes use of the patient's own tissue. The tissue is transfered from another part of the body and consists of skin, muscle and fat - a myo-cutaneous flap, or just a flap. This is a fairly extensive procedure and not without a degree of risk. It is painful, both where the tissue is taken from and at the breast area, but it also provides the most natural looking results. The three different types of flap are the TRAM flap, which uses the abdominal muscles, the LAT flap, which uses the muscle from the upper back, and a Free Flap, which can be from the abdominal area or buttocks.

The TRAM flap involves cutting into the abs. The muscle, fat and skin are removed and pulled up to the breast area. The blood vessels are kept intact during the procedure. The flap is shaped into the form of the breast. Usually a good match to the other breast can be made and no implant is required in addition to the flap. The patient receives a tummy tuck as part of the deal, but runs the risk of developing a hernia from where the flap was removed.

A LAT flap follows the same procedure, using the latissimus dorsi muscle instead. The flap is pulled through a temporary tunnel, which is created under the skin from the back to the breast area. Because of the smaller size of the flap, an implant is usually added to make the breast larger.

The Free flap is the most technical of the three and involved the disruption of the blood supply to the flap during surgery. For this reason, you must have a surgeon that is skilled in microsurgery.

Another part of the reconstruction process involves nipple and areola recreation. In this procedure, a piece of skin is removed from another part of the body, the abdomen, leg or breast itself and shaped into a nipple. After it has healed, an areola is tattooed around the reconstructed nipple.

The reconstruction decision is a very personal one and since it involves surgery times of up to 4-5 hours under anesthesia, it's not one to be taken lightly.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer - 101

The cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably invading near by tissue and spreading to other parts of the body via blood stream or lymphatic system.

Similarly, in breast cancer, a single cell begins to divide and grow abnormally. This is the most common kind of cancer in women. Besides being women, age is the other important factor for developing breast cancer. The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes, which have many smaller sections called lobules. Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are linked by thin tubes called ducts.

The breast cancer is classified into:

-Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
-Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
-Inflammatory breast cancer
-Recurrent breast cancer

The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the cells of the ducts. Cancer that begins in the lobes or lobules is called lobular carcinoma and is more often found in both breasts than are other types of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer is an uncommon type of breast cancer in which the breast is warm, red, and swollen. Recurrent breast cancer that has come back after it has been treated. Early detection through regular breast self-exams and a regular program of mammogram and physical exams show excellent results in curing it. Breast self exam is the process developed by the American cancer society for women to examine the breasts monthly. This process can reveal breast problem. Any swelling or unusual lumps or hardness in the breast is the indication of breast disease and a reason to rush to your doctor.

There are various factors, which increases the chance of getting disease as a breast cancer. Like:

1) Older age
2) A mother or sister with breast cancer.
3) Drinking alcoholic beverages.
4) Being white.
5) Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.

Women who have an altered gene related to breast cancer and who have had breast cancer in one breast have an increased risk of developing breast cancer in the other breast. These women also have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, and may have an increased risk of developing other cancers.

Tests related to detect and diagnose breast cancer are:

1) Mammogram – In which X ray is done of the breast.

2) Biopsy - The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. If a lump in the breast is found, the doctor may need to cut out a small piece of the lump.

3) Estrogen and progesterone receptor test: A test to measure the amount of estrogen and progesterone (hormones) receptors in cancer tissue. If cancer is found in the breast, tissue from the tumor is examined in the laboratory to find out whether estrogen and progesterone could affect the way cancer grows. The test results show whether hormone therapy may stop the cancer from growing.

There are different 4 types of treatment option for breast cancer patients:

1) Surgery- Most patients with breast cancer have surgery to remove the cancer from the breast.

2) Radiation therapy - Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells.

3) Chemotherapy -Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing.

4) Hormone therapy - Hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that removes hormones or blocks their action and stops cancer cells from growing. Hormones are substances produced by glands in the body and circulated in the bloodstream.

For latest information about Breast Cancer please visit medicineworld.org. You can get more information through dedicated breast cancer message board, breast cancer support forum at bcancer.com

Breast Cancer Symptoms

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, and one of the most common types of cancer in general. It is estimated that one in seven women that live to age 90 will develop breast cancer. It is especially prevalent in some families, making the statistics a bit skewed.

If you have a family history of breast cancer, your chances of developing the disease are much greater. It’s therefore a good idea to stay especially vigilant for breast cancer symptoms.

Breast cancer symptoms don’t often manifest themselves until the cancer is already in its later stages of growth, and may have already metastasized to other more vital areas of the body. That is why it is so important for women to regularly get checked. Mammograms may be unpleasant, but late stage breast cancer symptoms are worse.

The most clear and common breast cancer symptom is of course a lump in your breast. It is important to keep in mind that not all lumps are cancerous. Most women will develop numerous lumps in their breasts throughout their lives; they are especially common during periods of rapid hormonal changes such as puberty, and menstruation. Some women will have more lumps than others.

A more severe breast cancer symptom will be pain in your breasts. A cancer that has grown large enough to impinge on nerves will be a noticeable lump in a self check or mammogram, so hopefully you’ll catch anything before it gets to the point of causing pain. If one or both of your breasts are in pain, again its important to keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have breast cancer. During puberty and periods of hormone fluxes, tenderness of the breasts is common. Also pregnancy, and some medications can cause pain or tenderness in your breasts.

Even though most cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women over 40, women in their teens and twenties are occasionally diagnosed as well. Most people don’t know that about one percent of the cases are in men. Starting from puberty, it is a good idea to start checking yourself for lumps.

Remember, during this period you’re likely to find a lot of lumps that are harmless. With some experience and some consultation with your doctor, you’ll soon get an idea of the kinds of lumps that are normal, and the kinds of lumps that may be breast cancer symptoms.

For more current health articles on all subjects, please see: Current Health Articles Natural Health Directory

Breast Cancer Treatments

In this article I am going to cover options for treating breast cancer, once it has been diagnosed.

Unlike years ago when options for treatment were few and not very effective, today there are many options for treating breast cancer, many with excellent results and chances for full recovery, depending on the type of breast cancer and how advanced it is.

Here is a brief overview of your options today.

1. Local Regional Treatment. This is actually treatment of the lymph nodes in the area surrounding the breast as well as the breast itself. If metastatic disease is present then the treatment is given to specific areas. One of these methods is radiation therapy or radiotherapy. Much to womens’ surprise there are very few side effects from this therapy and they are restricted to the area being treated. Radiotherapy is an effective way to destroy the cancer cells and provide the best chance that the cancer will not come back.

Another method of this type of treatment is surgery which is usually the last recourse when all other methods have failed. With surgery in many cases reconstruction is needed afterwards as often part or all of the breast needs to be removed, which is called having a mastectomy. However, even this radical a surgery is not as drastic as it was years ago. Today every attempt is made to preserve as much of the healthy breast as possible.

2. Systemic Treatments. This is where the whole body is treated as a system.

The most common systemic treatment is chemotherapy. The purpose of chemotherapy is to get rid of any cancer cells that may have spread from the breast to other areas of the body. The reason chemotherapy works and also the reason it is so hard on your body is because it attacks the rapidly dividing cancer cells in your body. Unfortunately cancer cells are not the only cells in your body that divide, thus the reason that chemotherapy can have such a sickening effect on a person. Still, chemotherapy is not as hard to go through today as it was years ago and is an important insurance policy against the spread of the disease, especially to the lymph nodes, which in many cases is fatal.

Another treatment that isn't as common is tamoxifen, which is a very powerful drug. This drug reduces the risk of breast cancer returning after surgery and even reduces the risk of a woman ever getting breast cancer. However the side effects, though not fatal, can be very serious and uncomfortable. They include blood clots and uterine cancer, hot flushes, early menopause, problems with fertility, nausea and vomiting, weight gain, mood swings, depression and loss of energy.

3. Alternative and Holistic Treatments. These are treatments where the body, mind and spirit are all treated. Unfortunately there is very little medical evidence to show that these treatments are effective. Some of these alternative methods include acupuncture, meditation, relaxation techniques, and the use of flaxseed and black cohosh. Flaxseed supposedly reduces the growth and spread of breast cancer. Black cohosh is supposed to stop the hot flushes associated with those who have breast cancer. Again, there is nothing to support either of these claims.

Years ago breast cancer was pretty much a death sentence. Today with the effective and relatively safe treatments that have been developed a woman can not only survive breast cancer but also have a normal healthy life afterwards.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

The first step to getting a diagnosis is detection. Monitoring your own breast tissue contains 3 main components including a) Breast Self-examination b) Clinical Breast Exam and c) Mammography.

A woman may notice abnormalities while doing a self-exam. By examining your breasts every month, you will become familiar and be able to detect changes better. The following are the steps to perform breast self-examination.

a) Breast Self-Examination

1) Put your hands on hip while standing in front of a mirror to visually examine your breasts. Then stand with your hands behind your head with fingers interwoven and look for changes in size, lumps, shape, contour, color, dimples or inverted nipples.
2) Press each nipple to see if there is a discharge.
3) Lie down putting a pillow under your left shoulder. Place your left hand under your head while lying down. Using your right hand, fingers flattened together into a pad form and press on the top portion of the left breast in a circular motion to examine the outer, then the inner circle of the breast including nipple. Use light pressure for area under skin’s surface. Then add a little more pressure to feel halfway into the flesh. Finally, use deep pressure to feel down the ribs. Examine the breast and chest area under your armpit. With the same way, repeat on the right side using your left hand.

With the above self-examination method, you should be able to feel any unusual lump or thickening tissues or skin.

b) Clinical breast Exam

This is conducted during your annual gynecological examination. Your doctor will place pressure on your breasts in circular motion the pads of his or her fingers. You will have one hand tucked under your head while the other breast is being examined.

c) Mammography

Mammography is able to detect any cancerous growth before it can be felt by a manual

exam. It is an X-ray image of the breast. A screening mammogram is done when a clinical breast exam is normal. It consists of two views of each breast including:

a) An up and down view and

b) Side to side view.

A diagnostic mammogram is performed to evaluate any abnormality found during a breast exam. Mammograms may sometimes cause discomfort because the breasts must be compressed until the skin is taut. Mammograms can detect breast calcifications made of minute amounts of calcium that cannot be detected by self or clinical exams. Generally, a radiologist can make a prediction on the likelihood of a lesion is malignant based on a screening mammograms. For women who already have symptoms suggestion of breast cancer (e.g. a palpable lump), diagnostic mammographics is necessary as they include additional views to give a more accurate prediction as to the likelihood of cancer.

Jennifer Comm is a registered nurse and acclaimed author with over 20 years of health care experience.

Free Tips on Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer

The Journey Begins

This is the story of my breast cancer journey, and how gluing magazine pictures onto mat board led me back to my spirit.

In December of 2001, breast cancer was the furthest thing from my mind. I was busy. I had a loving husband, a nice home, three beautiful stepchildren, a good job. Then my perfect little world was suddenly turned inside out and upside down.

A routine, suspicious mammogram. A phone call. Mammogram #2. A stereotactic core biopsy.

My diagnosis: breast cancer, stage 2, infiltrating, ductal, HER2.

All of the above happened within the fearful, anxious, unbelievable time span of 7 days. And my life has never been the same.

The next nine months held a most strange quality of disbelief and exhaustion. It also held two surgeries, four chemotherapy treatments spaced three weeks apart, and 47 radiation treatments (spaced daily, over the course of 9 weeks).

Fears of the Cancer Returning

It's been three years since my life was turned upside down and inside out…. Three years. My prognosis is very good. I hear this every three months depending on which doctor my appointment is with: breast surgeon, medical oncologist, or radiation oncologist.

Three years have passed. I look good. I feel good. And yet nothing has been able to quiet the storms of fear that threaten to overwhelm me from time to time. The insidious fear that the breast cancer might return. The intimidating fear of another potentially deadly diagnosis.

I have meditated and prayed about this. I have talked about it with my wonderful therapist and with other breast cancer survivors. I have tried guided imagery, journaling, and art journaling. These have all tempered the fear to some extent, but only for a very short while.

How SoulCollage® Soothed My Fears

Then I began practicing SoulCollage® and my inner dynamics began to change.

SoulCollage® is a unique blend of spiritual practice and the fun of collage. It was created in 1989 by Seena Frost (www.soulcollage.com) as she worked with friends and clients in her psychotherapy practice.

Using our intuition and imagination, we create a deck of collaged cards where each card reflects a different aspect of who we are. The cards are then used to assist us to access our own deep wisdom and help us answer life's questions. There are four suits in a SoulCollage® deck: The Committee (the inner voices in our minds), The Community (the family and friends who love us), The Companions (animal totems who lend us their energies) and The Council (archetypes who symbolize major life themes for us).

SoulCollage® cards are made using magazine images, scissors, a glue stick, and 5" x 8" pieces of mat board.

It turned out to be the best way for me to deal with the lingering fears that I was left with after my cancer treatments were over. I listened carefully inside of me to the voices that had something to say about my breasts, and my breast cancer, and I made three cards over the course of a few months.

Naming my Inner Voices

The "voices" I named and then worked with in the coming months were: I am the one who fears breast cancer returning, I am the one who hates her disfigured left breast, I am the one who survived breast cancer and walked away from it (both of these voices were Committee members), and I am the one who gave you the courage to survive breast cancer (an archetype from my Council).

After making the cards, I journaled with them, asking each voice the following questions: Who are you? What do you have to give me? What do you want from me? How will I remember?

The Healing Continues

The entire process of making these SoulCollage® cards and then dialoguing with them led me deeper into my feelings about my diagnosis and all that I had been through on my journey since then. This led me to a very deep and powerful spiritual healing that is difficult to describe, yet very real in my life.

Now, when my fears of another cancer diagnosis threaten to consume me, I simply look at my SoulCollage® card that honors that voice inside of me and I acknowledge it. This voice, this fear will always be a part of me, but I do not have to allow it to control me. I am reminded of this because I also have the other two cards which speak to me of how I found the inner strength and courage to take the breast cancer journey.

Anne Marie Bennett is a freelance writer, SoulCollage facilitator, and self-taught artist who enjoys playing with mixed-media collage, and all forms of color and words. She has a BS degree in Education from Southern Connecticut State University and has taught children, teens and adults throughout the East Coast. She is a breast cancer survivor and feels closest to her own soul when she is writing, creating art, teaching, and sharing the gift of SoulCollage™ with others. She lives,laughs, writes, sings (and makes her own SoulCollage® cards!) in Beverly, MA. To see her breast cancer SoulCollage™ cards and read more about them, please visit: http://www.kaleidosoul.com/breastcancer.html

 

Hypnosis Complements Breast Cancer Treatment and Breast Surgery

If you are scheduled for breast surgery (biopsy, lumpectomy or mastectomy) or you are undergoing post-surgical breast cancer treatment, hypnosis is an excellent complementary therapy that can enhance the positive effects of various therapies.* Using hypnotherapy in combination with your medical breast cancer treatment will make you feel more empowered and in control of your care, and it will help you maximize your overall wellness.

The power of the subconscious mind can be a potent ally in healing from surgery and recovering from breast cancer, for it is the subconscious mind that controls automatic body processes, including immune function and pain perception. Additionally, the subconscious mind is the source of all emotions, which also makes hypnosis a logical choice for dealing with the emotional aspects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Hypnosis for breast cancer treatment can help with the following issues:

Pre-Surgical Preparation: Numerous studies in medical journals have shown that people who prepare for surgery using hypnosis generally have fewer complications, heal faster and have less post-operative pain. Hypnosis will help you feel calm, relaxed and positive before, during and after surgery. Usually, the hypnosis therapy is geared toward making positive suggestions to your subconscious regarding your surgery and its outcome, as well as teaching you how to effectively manage pre-surgery stress.

When we see pre-surgical clients in our hypnosis practice, we give them a CD to play before and immediately after surgery (and with headphones during surgery, if their surgeon permits). The CD contains soothing music, relaxing imagery and positive suggestions to reassure the client's subconscious mind that the surgery will go smoothly and that their body will heal quickly, with as little discomfort as possible.

The results of pre-surgical hypnosis can be quite amazing. Patients frequently report that they needed very little pain medication and that they were back on their feet very quickly after surgery. I recently spoke with a client with whom I had worked before her major abdominal surgery. After her surgery, her surgeon told her he would order a narcotic pain killer. She told him to hold off on the narcotics because she was not in much pain. In fact, she required only ibuprofen and she was up and walking around just two hours after her surgery! Needless to say, her doctor was amazed.

Any surgery can be stressful, but breast surgery that may indicate a need for follow-up breast cancer treatment can be extremely stressful for any woman. In our practice, hypnosis for breast cancer surgery focuses specifically on this extreme stress. The calmer you stay before the surgery, the more resources your body has to heal itself as quickly as possible.

Follow-Up Treatment If Cancer Is Detected: If you require follow-up radiation and/or chemotherapy as part of your breast cancer treatment, hypnosis can teach you how to feel more relaxed and manage your stress. A growing body of evidence suggests that chronic stress and the cascade of stress hormones it produces can interfere with the proper functioning of the immune system. An immune system which is as healthy as it can be (given the specific treatment) is critically important during breast cancer treatment.

When we work with breast cancer clients in our practice, we teach them relaxation, self-hypnosis and stress management techniques. We also teach our clients how to use mental imagery to encourage their immune system to work together with their medical therapies in order to maximize the benefits of their breast cancer treatment. For example, we may teach a client to visualize her immune system attacking and killing the cancer cells, or surrounding and transforming the cancer cells into something harmless. The visualization work for each client's breast cancer treatment is always tailored to her needs and the way her imagination works.

If your breast cancer treatment creates side effects, including nausea, hypnosis can help you minimize those side effects. And if your breast cancer treatment creates body image issues, hypnosis can also help you feel good about your body again. Each woman is different, both in her needs and in her physical and emotional reactions to the breast cancer treatment and its side effects. Accordingly, each woman's hypnosis sessions will need to be tailored specifically to her requirements and goals.

Whether you are scheduled to undergo breast surgery to determine if you need follow-up breast cancer treatment, or you are already undergoing breast cancer treatment, hypnosis can complement your medical treatment in multiple ways.

*Hypnosis is not a substitute for medical breast cancer treatment. Rather, it is an excellent complement to standard medical breast cancer treatment. Hypnosis works with doctors, not against them. Do not discontinue medical breast cancer treatment when you begin hypnotherapy.

Loretta Sernekos, Ph.D., is a Certified Hypnotherapist in private practice in Cherry Hill, NJ and Philadelphia, PA. You can visit her hypnosis practice website at http://sghypnosis.com for more information and audio podcasts. For additional hypnosis information and articles, both modern and antiquarian, visit http://hypnosisgateway.com.