Owing to the research and advances in the field of cancer, breast cancer treatments available today are better than ever before. The choice and efficacy of a treatment are subject to the factors including the type of breast cancer, size of the tumor, its extent of spread in the body, the stage of the disease, and age of the patient. All breast cancer treatments have two main goals: to eliminate cancer and prevent the disease from coming back. Types of breast cancer treatment Breast cancer treatments can be divided into two parts. Local therapy Local therapy, as the name suggests, removes cancer from a local (limited) area such as the breast, lymph nodes, armpits, or the chest wall. This type of treatment involves a surgery with or without a radiation therapy, and it ensures that the cancer doesn’t come back to that area. Surgery Through breast cancer surgery, the entire tumor is removed from the breast. There are two basic types of surgery to remove breast cancer. Lumpectomy (also called breast-conserving surgery, partial mastectomy, or wide excision) removes the tumor and a small rim of normal tissue around the tumor while keeping the rest of the breast intact. Mastectomy, on the other hand, is a surgery wherein the entire breast is removed.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer diagnosed in women. However, this is not uncommon among men. Breast cancer is a cancer that develops in the cells of the breast and can affect both men and women. Due to the growing awareness and research in the field, many advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer have taken place. As a result, the number of deaths associated with breast cancer is steadily declining. Diagnosing breast cancer Doctors use the following tests to find whether an individual has breast cancer or not: Breast ultrasound- A machine uses sound waves to create detailed pictures of areas inside the breast. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – This is another technique of body scans that provides detailed pictures of areas inside the breast. Diagnostic mammogram- This provides a more detailed X-ray of the breast. The diagnostic mammogram helps doctors get to the root cause of lumps or other abnormalities in breasts. Biopsy- There are different forms of biopsies and the test includes removing a tissue or fluid from the breast for examination under a microscope. Breast cancer staging To quantify the prognosis and determine the most suitable treatments for a particular cancer patient, cancers are categorized.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer of the uterine cavity. Rarely seen in women below 20 years of age and mostly affecting women over 65 years of age, cervical cancer affects women and leads to the death of 40% of them. The causes of cervical cancer are listed below. Prior history of human papillomavirus (HPV) Although not everyone who has had an HPV infection has cervical cancer, the reverse is true. Everyone who has cervical cancer has a history of an HPV infection. Prolonged use of birth control pills Smoking Having multiple children It is suggested that women who are vaccinated before they are sexually active have a lesser chance of developing cervical cancer. There are some signs and symptoms that a woman should look out for if she is suspected to be at risk for cervical cancer. Read on to know some of the warning signs. Moreover, one must remember that these symptoms are generic and can be caused by any uterine or gynaecological condition Irregular bleeding Whether it is irregular spotting between periods or bleeding after sex, it requires a check Menopause A woman who is postmenopausal, if found bleeding, should also get a thorough check-up done to rule out cervical cancer Bleeding after Douching Bleeding after douching is another indication of cervical cancer Inconsistent menstruation For a woman who has regular periods, changes in the bleeding pattern should be considered as a warning sign.

All of us suffer from cold or cough at one time or another. Catching a cold can never be a pleasant experience and can cause a lot of discomfort especially when it is accompanied by a runny nose and cough. In our country, millions of cases of cold are reported every year. Cold is a very common viral infection that affects the respiratory tract. Colds are usually considered to be harmless and in most cases, the condition clears up on its own within a week or two. Symptoms usually include- Runny nose Sore throat Coughing Sneezing Headaches How to treat cough, cold and runny nose? Treatment usually depends on the severity of cold and cough. Sadly, there is no cure for cold but that doesn’t mean you can’t get relief. Over-the-counter medications can relieve the symptoms but there is no guarantee that will make your cold go away faster. Here are some ways by which you can ease symptoms of cold and give yourself some relief at home- Increase fluid intake Drink as many fluids as you can to keep yourself hydrated and to keep your throat moist. Hot fluids like soups can help cut down congestion. Make sure that the fluids that you drink are high in Vitamin C.

Cold and allergies are extremely common and treating allergies can be very annoying. There are two steps to treating allergies – preventing the allergy and treating the allergic symptoms. Before getting into treating the cold and allergy, the common allergy-inducing agents need to be looked at and the exact allergen responsible for the reaction should be identified. Additional factors which can help in identifying the allergen are: Season Cosmetics Clothing pattern Pets in the vicinity Food patterns Skin tests and food tests can be done to identify the exact allergy. Treatment options include prevention and treating the allergy symptoms. Prevention of cold and other allergies Some of the best ways to prevent allergies are: Avoid nickel jewelry if you have had rashes because of them Avoid medicines which cause an allergic reaction. If you are not sure if you are indeed allergic to it, take a test dose before going for a full dose. There are specific medications that a doctor would want to confirm allergy to, and these should be tested. These include penicillin and a local anesthetic such as lidocaine. Avoid foods which induce an allergy. The actual allergy-causing agent is only identified through exclusions and once identified, it should be avoided Cosmetics are also best tested before buying and using them.