Being overweight or obese is a serious health concern. It raises the risk of many chronic medical conditions and can contribute to back and joint pain. Weight gain does not happen overnight, it usually creeps up through the years. This allows an...
Though breast cancer affects men as well as women, it occurs more frequently in women, and is the most common cancer among women, second only to skin cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. A variety of treatments exists, and the type of treatment...
Silicone implants are a popular procedure for the augmentation of breasts. Silicone implants consist of soft packages of silicone that are surgically implanted into the breast. However, because these implants are artificial, they might mask some...
The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2010 there will be more than 200,000 new breast cancer cases and more than 40,000 breast-cancer-related deaths in the United States. Although doctors can effectively treat and cure many breast cancer...
Until the 1970s, most women diagnosed with breast cancer had a radical mastectomy. This surgery removes not only the breast, but also the chest wall muscles under the breast and all of the lymph nodes under the arm. Researchers now know that a...
The American Cancer Society, ACS, reports that the number of deaths from breast cancer has been declining in the U.S. since 1990. This decline is said to be due to improved screening methods and awareness, as well as advances in treatment...
Metastatic breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread to distant organs or parts of the body. The most common sites of metastasis include the bones, brain, liver, lungs and chest wall, according to Breastcancer.org. When breast cancer has...
Although breast augmentation surgery offers some women a number of positive benefits, breast augmentation is not for everyone. If you are a woman who feels uncomfortable about the appearance of your body or who is uncertain about your motives for...
One of the first studies published examining the link between vitamin D and breast cancer appeared in the January 1989 issue of the "Lancet." The researchers reported that the most active form of vitamin D known as calcitriol significantly reduced...
Several Seattle cancer programs have been nationally recognized. In its 2010 survey, "U.S. News & World Report" ranked the University of Washington as fifth best nationally for cancer care. The golden standard for cancer care is obtaining...
Breast cancer is diagnosed in 192,000 women and 2,000 men annually in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. The decision for breast cancer treatment is a collaborative effort between the doctor and the patient, with the...
A common first-line treatment for breast cancer is surgery, in which a surgeon removes all or part of the affected breast to remove the cancerous cells. In many cases, surgery presents an effective treatment for breast cancer, but may require a...
Fast-food restaurants are adding healthy choices, such as oatmeal and fruit snacks, but most entrees and sides utilize unhealthy ingredients or cooking methods. The high calories from large ratios of fat and carbohydrates can make you gain...
The cause of enlarged male breasts often helps determine the best course of treatment. If you're taking a medication that's causing an enlargement in the breasts, then your doctor will recommend a new prescription drug. When hormone level tests...
Breast cancer develops from mutated breast cells. During cancer development, the mutant cells gain the ability to proliferate rapidly and indefinitely, invade neighboring tissues, evade cellular death and form tumors in distant organs. Although...
Mammograms are used to screen for breast cancer. In some cases, the mammograms or other radiologic exams may not fully clarify what is happening in the breast. All suspicious mammograms or breast lumps are not necessarily indicative of cancer;...
An unhealthy diet of sweetened drinks, high-fat meats and snacks, and few fruits, vegetables and grains creates a nutritional imbalance that can harm your health. Consuming too much sugar and fat means that you get less vitamin, mineral and fiber...
A breast cancer patient will typically have a team of specialized doctors. Some members of the medical team will be part of the patient's medical care on a recurring basis. Others doctors on the team are part of the breast cancer treatment process...
Breast cancer is a common type of cancer diagnosed in 192,000 women and 2,000 men each year in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. There are several different treatment options for breast cancer that doctors recommend...
Breast cancer originates from previously healthy breast cells that develop genetic mutations, allowing the cells to grow uncontrollably and form tumors. Breast tumors may be non-cancerous and benign, or cancerous and invasive. In some cases,...
The oldest and most common treatment for breast cancer is surgery. There are three types of breast-cancer surgery that depend on the stage of your cancer. The lumpectomy is when a surgeon only removes the tumor and surrounding tissue. A total...
Passive smoking is a term applied to those exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke inhalation. The topic of secondhand smoke continues to draw controversy, but cigarette smoke does contain 60 known carcinogens, according to the American Cancer...
Radiation treatment exposes a breast cancer tumor to a high dose of damaging radiation. During and after treatment, cells within the breast tumor experience massive damage that ultimately lead to breast cancer cell death. Although an effective...
Once a patient is diagnosed with breast cancer, she will typically discuss a treatment plan with her physician. An individual's treatment plan for breast cancer depends on multiple factors. The physician will likely consider tumor size, the type...
Breast cancer develops into a mass made up of mutated breast cells. The tumor can original in the glandular lobules or ducts of the breast, or within the nipple. During breast cancer development, patients may notice the development of a palpable...
Physicians play an important role in society and have a major affect on most people's lives. Physicians diagnose and treat major and minor illnesses. They treat people who are suffering from injuries and diseases. Physicians not only treat...
Breast reconstruction restores a natural look to a woman who has had a mastectomy because of breast cancer. Most women who have had a mastectomy can have successful reconstructive surgery. If you have already had a mastectomy and you're now...
When you're diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, the abnormal cells associated with this disease are confined to the ducts of the breast. And while DCIS is considered a noninvasive form of cancer, there is the potential to have slight...
Breast augmentation is cosmetic surgery. It is for looks, not health. Therefore, insurance does not cover the procedure. The exception to this rule is for breast reconstruction for women who've undergone a mastectomy or had trauma to their...
Following a mastectomy, many women choose to have breast reconstruction surgery. This surgery attempts to restore breast to a normal shape, appearance, and size. Learn about the process of breast reconstruction surgery in this video from a...