Best tool for early detection of Breast Cancer and a new non invasive treatment

Breast Cancer is the 2nd largest detected cancer after lung cancer. Its one of the leading cause of
mortality and morlidity rates among women of all age groups mainly after 20 years both in developed
and developing countries.
Developing countries have high fatality rate and poor outcome has it is noticed in late or advanced
stages.
Breast cancer means tumours develop in inner tissues of breast. If its develops in
 Lobule - lobular carcinoma
 Ducts – Ductal carcinoma


Risk factors
 Hereditary or genetic factors
 Harmonal regulations (mainly after menopause)
 Sex harmones
 Poor physical activity
 Dietary factors ( high fat and sugar intake)
 Obesity
 Alcoholism and cigarette smoking
 Exposure to harmful radiations
 Exposure to chemicals and pesticides
 Age ( incidence is more among 50+ yrs)
 Height – taller women than normal have slightly greater risk
 Jobs – according to Canadian researchers,women who worked at night prior to first pregnancy are at risk.
But all these are risk factors exact cause is unknown.


Seven warning signs of cancer
 Lump,hard knot or thickening inside the breast or under arm area.
 Swelling, warmth,redness or darking of the breast.
 Change in shape and size of the breast.
 Dimpling and puckering of the skin.
 Inverted nipples
 Discharges from the nipples.
 Pain in one spot which is not reducing.
In some cases, these changes are not cancer, it may be benign breast.


Diagnosis
Breast cancer can be detected through:
 Mammography – it helps in screening the problems in breast tissues.it is to be carried out
after the age of 40 years and to be continued further every year. It is not recommended
before 40 years of age.
 CBE ( Clinical breast examination)- should be conducted by health care providers as a part of
periodic health exam. Women in the age of 20 to 30 should under go CBE every three years
and every year after 40 years.
 Breast self examination- examination of breast by self, which plays an important role in early
detection. It should be practised from the age of 20 years.
 Breast ultrasound
 Biopsy-a sample of breast tissues are removed surgically and sent to lab for analysis.
 Breast MRI.
 Oral pill- a latest screening test, it can make more accurate with the help of pill „that light up“
the breast tumour cells. This is presented in 251 National meeting Exposition of American
chemical society in San Diego,CA.


Breast self examination
It is one of the realistic approach to detect breast cancer in early stages. BSE plays a major role in
developing countries as mammography screening may not be available in local health care units. So
its a keen need to educate people to inculcate the practice of BSE for early detection, also should
reduce the myths and misconception about self exam.
Our goal is to encourage competent performance that will affect the efficacy of BSE , this helps for
better detection.


FIVE EASY STEPS TO PERFORM BSE

On Shower
On shower when the skin is slippery it is to perform and its effective too.
Step 1: use your right hand to feel your left breast, pad up your second, third and fourth finger of right
hand firmly press every part of your breast in circular motion from nipples to outward till the arm
pits(under arms) or examine up and down motion so that it covers the entire breast. Repeat the same
for other breast with left hand. Check for any lumps, hard knot or thickening of tissues. Be sure that
you feel all tissues, use light pressure, medium pressure for middle tissues and firm pressure for deep
tissues till you feel your ribcage.


In Front of Mirror
Step 2: Biggin to look at your breast in mirror with shoulders straight. See for symmetry, size, shape and
nipple discharges. If you see following changes bring them to your health adviser attention.
 Dimpling
 Puckering
 Swelling of the skin
 Inverted Nipple
 Rashes
 Redness
Step 3: Now rise your hands and arms over your head, see for the above mentioned changes.
Step 4: Next place your hands on your hips and press firmly. Now see for symmetry and shape of your breast.


On laying down:
Step 5: In laying down position exam your breast. While examine right breast place a folded towel
under your right arm, then start performing same as step 1 procedure. Repeat the same on left breast
also.
Record the date of examination, repeat the procedure on the same date every month.


Preventive measures
 Avoid alcohol and carcinogens
 Avoid fatty foods, preservatives and smoked food items
 Reduce sugar intake.
 Involve in physical exercises


Treatment
 Surgery
 Biological therapy
 Harmonal Therapy
 Chemotherapy- Killing the cancer cells through medications. This treatment is used in
metastatic cancers, if tumours are large or in case of reoccurance.
 Radiation therapy- a controlled dose of radiations are passed to the tumour cells to destroy.
This is mainly preferred after surgery and chemotherapy, to destroy left out cancer cells.
Cancer cells can be killed in two hours
New study shows that cancer cells can be killed in two hours. It is discovered by Mathew Gdovin, an
associative professor in UPSA department in Biology.
Gdovin found a new, non-invasive method to kill cancer cells. It is very useful in triple negative breast cancer which had very poor outcome.
The method involves injecting a chemical compound nitrobenzaldehyde, in to the tumour cells and allowed to diffuse.
A beem of light is then tabuted to the tissues, causing the cells to become acidic inside and essentially
“Commit suicide“ according to researchers. Within two hours, up to 95% of cells will be destroyed.
Chemotherapy targets all cells in the body and certain chemotherapeutics keeps cancer cells acidic
as a way to kill. This leads to hair loss in patients and they become sickly.
Gdovin hopes that his non invasive method will help the cancer patients with tumours in areas have
proven problematic for surgeons, such as the brain stems, iota or spine.


References
1. Journal of clinical oncology, vol 34, No. 15 (May 20 Supplement), 2016
2. Journal of national medical foundation.
3. Levis, Heitkemer, et al. text book of “medical surgical nursing“.
4. www.breastcancer.org
5. www.wikipedia.org
6. www.bmccancer.biomedcenter.com
7. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
8. www.medicalnewstoday.com

SMART FOODS FOR SMARTER BRAINS

Every parent wish their kids to be smarter, very intelligent or in one word mini Einstein’s. The intelligence of the kid depends mainly on hereditary factors and environmental factors, but there are other factors too which influence the brain development. One of the most important factor among the other is the food, the mother consumes when she is pregnant and the kids eat in their early ages.

Our grandmothers always knew the importance of eating right food to stimulate the development of neurons. They always insisted the mothers to be and the young kids to consume certain herbs. The tradition is still continuing even though the young generation less likely to follow them.

The powerful and most important foods which are tasty as well are listed below.

Brahmi and Gotukola :

Brahmi and Gotukola are confused to be the same most of the times. Even though they possess similar medical benefits, they are different herbs. Brahmi is called as Bacopa monnieri in latin and Gotukola as Centella asiatica. In south India usually Gotukola is referred as brahmi.

Brahmi is most widely used in avurvedic medicines, has a reputation for being helpful in memory and reduce the stress. Elders advice that gotu kola should not be consumed during night.

Some of the important benefits of brahmi are

Supports brain, improves liver health, helps in neonatal hypoglycemia, fights systemic redness and swelling, controls blood pressure, acts as anti-oxidant. Gotu kola also helps in long term memory and healing wounds, varicose veins, skin disorders, blood flow problems.

Figure 1gotukola

Figure 1brahmi

Here I present a quick recipe of Gotukola

Receipe - pluck fresh Gotukola plants, wash them thoroughly before use. Dry roast it in a wok with spoon of ghee for 2 to 3 minutes. Grind the roasted leaves with a spoon of grated coconut and 2 to 3 black peppers. Add little curd to the ground mixture and bring it to the required consistency by adding little water. Chutney can also be prepared in the same way without adding curd.

Calamus: commonly known in India with the names like Baje, vacha, vasambu etc. It is adviced to give in very small portions to young kids for getting good memory, right pronunciation. Kids are adviced to lick the paste made from this during exams, which helps them to remember the things they have studied and reduce the nervousness. It also helps in digestion and combat cold.

Shankapushpi : this can be commonly seen everywhere in India, which could boost your brain power and increase memory. This is also used as a medicine to cure fever. The plant is reported to be a prominent memory improving drug. It is used as a psychostimulant and tranquilizer. It is reported to reduce mental tension. The ethanolic extract of the plant reduces total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and nonesterfied fatty-acid. Usually this is consumed in the powdered format or as kadha to improve the memory.

Dark green vegetables : Dark green vegetables are full of antioxidants and carotenoids, which boosts the brain power, and help protect the brain. Leafy green vegetables are also full of B-vitamins, which are “proven to help your memory, focus, and overall brain health and power”. The folic acid in them improves the mental clarity. 

Nuts: Nuts are a great snack which are delicious to eat as well as boosts your memory and brain power and full of proteins. They are also good at deducing the cholesterol and reduce inflammation. The antioxidants in walnuts may help counteract age-related cognitive decline and even reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.