Wearing of bras is not a risk factor for Benign breast cancer afterall

According to the America's National Cancer Institute, wearing a brassiere should not be considered as a risk factor forgetting breast cancer, unlike what has been previously said. Other more important risk factors such as genetic predisposition, age, gender, diet and lifestyle have a higher influence on breast cancer development.

Pseudotumor Cerebri: Worry or not?

As its name suggests, pseudotumor cerebri is a false tumor of the brain, which is mimic of malignant brain tumors. It is caused by an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid ( or decrease absorption) in the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain, causing symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting, due to an increase in intracranial pressure.

Pseudotumor cerebri mostly affects women in their early and middle adulthood ( 25-45). Although it is thought to be a benign tumor, it can become malignant, as it compresses brain structures and cause brain tumor symptoms at long term.

Treatment involves diuretics and hyperosmotic drugs, so as to reduce the fluid buildup ( which is the cause of the condition). Also, like in hydrocephalus, therapeutic shunting can be made, in order to redirect the excess of CSF in the peritoneal cavity where it can easily be reabsorbed.

Early diagnosis of Pseudotumor cerebri reduces the risks of complications.

Can a benign tumor become cancerous

The carcinogenicity of a benign tumor depends on various factors susceptible to cause genetic mutations of the cells sustaining the benign tumor. In case the patient is exposed to carcinogenic factors such as cigarette smoke or UV radiation, there is a higher risk for his tumor to mutate from benign to malignant. Also, physical abuse and abrasion can play a role in a benign tumor malignancy.

It also depends on the types of tumors: some benign tumors are more likely to become malignant than other. For example, benign tumors of the lungs are more likely to become cancerous than those of the esophagus, as lungs have higher risk of being exposed to carcinogens ( such as cigarette smoke).

The truth is, whether a tumor is benign or not, the best thing to do is to watch out.

Prolotherapy in the treatment of baker's cysts

Also known as Proliferative Injection Therapy or Non surgical ligament reconstruction, prolotherapy is a treatment method in which an irritant solution is injected into a torn/ damaged ligament, in order to stimulate the proliferation of new cells and for ligament renewal.

In fact, injury to a ligament is the most common cause of joint instability, and it may result in accumulation of fluid leading to baker's cyst/popliteal cyst. As the fluid keeps building up, the cyst enlarges and compresses surrounding structures, causing intense pain.

This is why prolotherapy targets ligaments, as it is able to strengthen the ligament and alleviate musculoskeletal pain. Areas of the body that are more likely to benefit from proliferative injection therapy are: knees, ankles, elbows, and the sacroliliac joint.

The advantage of this method is that it is a non surgical and permanent treatment for chronic pain.

According to the Mayo Clinic Doctors who first began to approve prolotherapy in April 2005, " Unlike corticosteroid injections which may provide temporarily relief, prolotherapy involves improving the injected tissue by stimulating tissue growth".

Prolotherapy is an effective method to cure Baker cysts and reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain associated with it.

Calcium channels blockers in the treatment of leiomyomas

Leiomyomas are benign tumors arising from smooth muscle ( myo- refers to muscle). They can develop from anywhere in the body, but are more common in the uterus. Leiomyomas arising from the uterus cause menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding, which will result in anemia, and if nor corrected.

Researchers have developed several medications to correct this condition which might lead to infertility in women. Although some of those medications work properly, they are not really effective in reducing physical pain associated with those benign tumors.

But investigators reported that calcium channels blockers, are very efficient in alleviating pain associated with different types of leiomyomas. medications that belong to that class of chemicals include: Nifedipin, gabapentin, and phenoxybenzamine. Moreover, it has been said that botulinum toxin might have some pain relief properties for leiomyomas; but this hypothesis still needs to be verified.

Indole -3 - carbinol useful in the preventiion of benign tumors

Indole -3-carbinol is a chemical which can be found at relatively high levels in cruciferous vegetables ( cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprout, etc.). It has been found to be very effective in the prevention of benign and malignant tumors. The first direct evidence to prove the anticarcinogenic nature of indole - 3 - carbinol was claimed by Dashwood, in 1989.

From then, researchers have emphasized on the process by which indole-3-carbinol carries its protective function. This chemical inhibits the G1 growth of cancer cells. In fact, the G1 growth, in every single cell in the human body represents the major period of the cell cycle, and is characterized by the synthesis of enzymes required for DNA replication. Therefore, by inhibiting the G1 phase, indole-3-carbinol inhibits the DNA replication.

Nevertheless, excessive consumption of indole-3-carbinol( especially as a supplement) is proscribed, due to its side-effects on estrogen balance.

But for now, ladies, feel free to integrate cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprout in your daily diet, for they are rich in anticarcinogenic substances, and healthy as well!

Relieve your fibrocystic pain with sensuality: adopt an Aroma Therapy Massage

Who said that all the medications we take have to be painful, depressing and tortuous? Nobody! Well, I am coming with good news today! Although taking your medications have always seemed to be such a pain, you can transform your healing time into a very relaxing moment.

For instance, as we have been talking about fibrocystic pain, I made my little research, and I found out that you can also relieve your fibrocystic pain with a sensual aromatherapy massage! Yes, you can! With a blend of the best aromatic leaves, you will for sure enjoy taking care of your fibrocystic breast pain! Lavender, chamomile and cypress can be applied as a mixture on your breast everyday, either by you or by your partner. After applying the mixture, massage gently around the breast first, then expand to the chest, and the muscle of the back as well.

With this magical potion, you will definitely be happy to take care of yourself!

Iodine: efficient treatment for fibrocystic breast disease, but unbearable side-effects

Fibrocystic breast disease is one of the most common health problems in women. It usually causes physical discomfort linked to the hormonal imbalance from the menstrual cycle.

A part from surgery which can be used to remove associated benign tumors, monitoring caffeine and salt intake have been proven to be effective in decreasing the symptoms. But still, some women are found non-responsive to those treatments.

Consequently, iodine solution, which is efficient as the other remedies, is used for the treatment of fibrocystic disease. Among 108 women treated with an iodine preparation, 98% where pain-free, and 65% had a reduction in breast size, thus confirming clinical improvement. Side effects were noticed in 11% of treated women, including nausea, hair thinning, diarrhea and acne. Other observed disadvantages of the medication were runny nose, metallic taste, excessive salivation and skin rash.

Iodine treatment is very special and appropriate, because it helps restoring the required amount of iodine in the diet ( since salt is cancelled from the diet, and salt is the main source of iodine)

Although iodine solution seems to be effective in managing the symptoms of fibrocystic disease, it has been recommended that thyroid function should be monitored during the entire treatment, so as to alleviate the side-effects which are to be somehow unbearable.

Is wearing a bra a risk factor for getting fibrocystic disease?

Women have tried a lot of treatments and even natural remedies in order to prevent and cure fibrocystic diseases, which affect approximately 30-60 % of females. But how far can they go to fight it, when the risk factors of getting that disease even extend to the way they dress?

In fact, researchers demonstrated that the well-known brassiere, used by approximately 95 % of women in the world (for the support and maintenance of breast shape), has some involvement in the development of fibrocystic breast disease. A research team published a study of about 5000 women in the book: " Dressed to Kill: The link between breast cancer and Bras" ( published in 1995). According to their research, the more hours per day a woman wears a bra, the higher her risk of getting breast cancer. This is due to the fact that as brassieres are usually tight on the body ( chest), they can therefore block the lymphatic circulation, thus preventing the natural flow of toxins away from the breast tissue. Another hypothesis is that bras prevent the natural movement of breast, thus altering circulation.

In both cases, the use of bras constitutes a risk factor for to the development of breast cysts, tumors and lumps. Of course, we now all wonder what is the right attitude to have: should we just go bra-less to our offices, schools or work just because we want to reduce our risk of developing breast tumors; or should we choose to ignore the results of this study and go back to our usual prevention methods ( avoid caffeine, high fat diets, etc.)?

Whatever decision we take about it, might not be reasonable enough. This is why we have to choose a mid line, an area of compromise between the 2 methods.

According to me, since the risk of developing a breast tumor increases with the hours we spend with our bras on, the number one solution would be to reduce those hours ( not to completely eradicate them). In that sense, we can make an effort to remove the bra every time we sleep, at rest, when we go to bed, or even when we eat; as the blood and lymph circulation at those specific moments of the day are critical.

By doing so, we wont need to choose between being healthy and being pretty, because we will be managing both sideswith only one action!

Non-invasive uterine fibroids treatment: experience ExAblate

Manufactured by InSightec (a company based in Israel) , ExAblate is a non-invasive medical device used for the treatment of uterine fibroids. It combines Magnetic Resonance Imaging (to visualize and localize the fibroid), and focused Ultrasound (with a temperature high enough to destroy the tumor).

Before the treatment, the patient goes through a pregnancy test to ensure that she is not pregnant, as high intensity radiations might cause damage to the developing embryo. The treatment consists of multiple sonications, depending on the size of the tumor to be treated. Sonications continue with a raise of the applied temperature, until the tumor is completely destroyed. If the patient feels, at any time of the treatment, intense pain or heat, she can stops the procedure by pressing a handheld button.

The biggest advantage of this treatment is the fact that it is incision-less, so the patient does not require surgery which might leave undesirable scars on the body. Also, it is an outpatient procedure, so the patient doesn't need to stay at the hospital for treatment and therefore saves money; and is able to resume his daily activities after 3 days. In addition to this, the treatment can be repeated as often as required and, because the procedure s FDA approved, there are minimal related side-effects. Last but not least, continuous surveillance is possible via 3D visualization before, during and even after the treatment.

More than 6000 women in the world have already used ExAblate, and most of them have been appeased.

ExAblate seems to be a very satisfying treatment procedure for women suffering from uterine fibroids. It is simple, easy and quick; but also non-invasive, safe and efficient.

It is possible to predict whether pancreatic cysts are benign or premalignant

Yes, it is! Researchers of the University of Michigan and Indiana University, in collaboration with Van Andel Research Institute Investigators ( VARI) found a method which seems to be more accurate than the current ones.

Through a biopsy of the different cysts,researchers found out that the amount of glycans ( carbohydrates) in a cyst can help determining and identifying specific biomarkers of malignancy.

Further study will be needed to validate the clinical value of using glycan variations to differentiate cyst types, but it seems like they are more accurate than current methods," said Dr. Brian Haab, VARI Senior Scientific Investigator.

Let's be hopeful that this procedure works and becomes efficient for the early assessment of malignant cysts; in order to limit any possible risk of cancerous spread and avoid recurrence of the cyst.

A new tool has been developed to help guide pancreatic cyst treatmentst

A UCLA- Veterans Affairs team recently developed an evaluation tool that contributes in patterning the treatment of asymptomatic pancreatic cysts.

The efficiency of that comparative tool resides in the fact that it takes into consideration a variety of factors, such as the patient's age, health, cyst size and surgical risk. It even takes into account the opinions of patients about survival. For example, if a patient prefers to live, no matter the risk and condition of his life, or if he/she prefers to have a good life, and non-invasive treatments measures.

The final treatment of the cyst will therefore depend on all those factors. Four competing treatments strategies have been evaluated by the tool, namely:

• Watch and wait ( no treatment);
• Surgical removal;
• Annual non-invasive surveillance with MRI or CT Scan;
• Annual endoscopic ultrasound.

According to the research, surgery was the most effective treatment for a cyst greater than 2cm, to maximize overall survival, and regardless of the age or health of the patient; whereas surveillance was the preferred strategy for any cyst less than 1cm.

"The evaluation tool offers greater insight into not only key risk factors for deciding pancreatic cyst treatment but also what patients want and value.," said study author Dr. Benjamin M. Weinberg.

Because this evaluation tool is flexible and can fits to every patient needs and requirements, we can predict the positive effects and feedback in the choice of treatments for asymptomatic pancreatic cysts; and therefore in the healthcare.

Tips to treat sebaceous cysts

Sebaceous cysts are cysts filled with sebum, fibrous tissues and fluids, keratinous substance resembling cottage cheese; and which has a foot odor smell. They are usually located on the scalp, ears, back, upper arms and face; as well as in hairy areas of the body. In males, they are also common in the scrotum and the chest.

Sebaceous cysts can result from swollen hair follicles, blocked sebaceous glands ( leading to accumulation of sebum) or increase level of testosterone. It can also be hereditary ( Gardner's syndrome, Basal cell Nevus syndrome.

Sebaceous cysts may become infected by hair surrounding the area where they develop, and thus it is important to be able to control and cure it.

Surgical excision is the simplest and most effective procedure, as it helps to get rid of the whole sac and its contents at once. But in order to prevent infection and avoid inadequate scarring, here are some few tips one can use, for its own benefits:

• Never manipulate the lump: do not scratch it, squeeze it or compress it.
• While showering, wash the lump area with antibiotic soap in order to maintain it clean.
• Avoid excessive sun exposure: it can burn the lump and irritate it
• 4 times a day, apply warm washclothes to the lump for 20 minutes, it helps relaxing it.
• Also, it is said that the use of oil-free skin care products can help prevent milia ( keratin-filled cysts also called milk spots)

Latest treatments for Fibroadenomas and their side-effects

Fibroadenomas are a type of benign tumors of the breast arising from the glandular tissue.

In addition to surgical removal and cryoablation treatment currently used to treat fibroadenomas, the use of non steroidal anti-inflammatories has been proven to be effective against the condition. Moreover, some drugs such as Danazol, Bromocriptine and Tamoxifen are also being used for the treatment of fibroadenomas.

In the case of Danazol and Bromocriptin, there are evidences suggesting their teratogenic effect during pregnancy, which is why they are not recommended for gestating women.

Tamoxifen, although it can be used to treat fibroadenomas, is also associated with an increase risk of uterine cancer. But the probability to develop a cancer after the use of this drug depends on the length of exposure to the drug.

As most of the medications used for the treatment of benign tumors, Danazol, bromocriptine and Tamoxifen have their advantages and side-effects. Every doctor should be able to balance the advantages and side-effects of each drug before prescribing it to his patient, so as to avoid complications and worsening of symptoms.

News: Low Glycemic index to improve symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome ( PCOS): The importance of a healthy diet in the management of cysts

According to the medical News Story reported by Health. Telegraph, the GI can improve symptoms of PCOS by reducing the effects of insuline resistance in the body. In order to better understand this correlation, let's describe first of all PCOS.

PCOS is a female endocrine disorder in which there is an abnormal excessive production of cysts outside the ovary ( polycystic). The 2 main triggers for the stimulation of ovaries to produce cysts are an increase in the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) level, and hyperinsulinemia ( increase in insulin level in the blood) . A majority of the patients suffering from this disorder have insuline resistance and are obese. And as a result of their obesity, they have an increase level of the enzyme aromatase ( secreted by the adipose tissue) which is responsible of the production of testosterone, thus the male features associated with the disease.

According to recent studies, GI can lower the blood cholesterol, decrease weight gain and lessen the symptoms associate with PCOS. In other words, it is better for PCOS patients to eat food with a low Glycemic index such as eggs, meats and proteins, as they only cause a mild increase in insulin resistance, compared to food with a high GI like wheat, rice, refined sugar, pasta, candies,etc. which cause a greater increase in insulin resistance.

The mostly used treatment for Cysts is..........

Watchful watching. Yes, it is. Sometimes, no treatment is the best treatment for a condition. It just means letting the body heal on its own way and at its own time.

But for cysts located in critical body areas such as the brain, the lungs, or beside a nerve or blood vessel, surgical removal ( cystectomy) is necessary in order to prevent get rid of the abnormal mass and prevent any risk of unwanted complications.

Antibiotics can be applied after the surgical removal, to prevent any infection.

Another procedure that can be used is aspiration, which is the removal ( by suction) of a fluid, tissue or gas from a body cavity.

In the case of ovarian cysts which are the most common types of cysts present in women, alternative treatments include herbal therapies ( blue cohosh, false unicorn root ), vegan diet ( no dairy and animal products) with an emphasis on beets, carrots, lemon and green-leafy vegetables; as they are rich in proteins. Also, antioxidants supplements such as vitamins A, E, C, black-currant oil and zinc, are also helpful in the treatment of ovarian cysts. Moreover, hydrotherapy is a very common useful method to prevent the rupture of the cyst, and thus prevent complications.

But as their name suggests, all those supplements are alternative, and they should not be used without the approval of your doctor, or in replacement to the given medication. They are just suggested to support and reinforce the effects of the prescribed medications.

Benign tumors can appear anywhere in the body

As said previously, benign tumors and cysts can appear in any organ in the body, including the brain and the heart.

The most common types of benign tumors are leiomyomas ( develop in the smooth muscle layer of internal organs); lipomas ( develop in adipose tissue and more prevalent in babies and children); neuromas ( in nerve tissue) and hemangiomas ( in blood vessels).Tumors that tend to interfere with hormone production and regulation are adenocorticoadenomas, thyroid adenomas and pituitary adenomas. Osteoblastomas ( benign tumors found in the bones) are very scarce. Leiomyomas can develop on the smooth muscle layer of any organs, but are more prevalent in the uterus, small bowel and oesophagus.

Cysts in the other hand have a higher tendency to develop in the ovaries ( ovarian cysts), popliteal fossa ( Baker cysts), within various glands in the body ( sebaceous cysts, Bartholin cysts, pineal cysts, chalazions, etc.), and within the pancreas and the kidneys.

Benign Tumors and cysts: what are they?

A tumor is a mass or lesion formed by an abnormal overgrowth of cells. It is solid, and is usually palpable at the side of the swelling. A tumor can develop from any tissue or organ in the body, since all tissues proliferate.

They are almost entirely caused by genetic mutations or any kind of infections which might result in cells proliferation.

The ability of a tumor to cause cancer or not depends on whether it metastasizes and invade other tissues. When the tumor spreads to other organs ( metastasis), it is characterized as malignant, and therefore can cause cancer. But in case it doesn't metastasize and doesn't invade surrounding tissues, the tumor is said to be benign, and therefore harmless.

Cysts, are a variety of benign tumors that are usually filled with fluid, air or any other solid material, depending on the organ where they develop. They are enclosed within a sac ( membrane), which gives them a balloon - like appearance. Like benign tumors, they can appear anywhere in the body, and can disappear anytime as well. They usually require no treatment, but in case they get infected, they can be removed by surgery.

Cysts can be inherited, or can be a result of an infection, a tumor, or a congenital birth defect.

One can be wondering: since cysts and benign tumors are that harmless, why should we be alerted about that? Why talking about that? Why creating a blog about that?

The answer is: benign tumors and cysts are not as harmless as they seem to be. Although non-invasive, they can compress surrounding structures such as nerves, arteries and even veins, thus causing a decrease in blood or nerve supply in the affected area. For example, the carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by a cyst located in the wrist; which compresses the median nerve and prevents it from functioning.

In the next articles, we are going to discuss about different types of benign tumors and cysts, existing treatments, as well as side-effects of all those treatments..