Cancer Treatment Reviews

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men in North America. Early detection is important since the outlook for successful treatment is very high with the earlier cancer stages. Prostate cancer can grow very slowly or be very aggressive, so your urologist will want to check your PSA levels and do a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and monitor the disease. Younger men (50-80) faced with prostate cancer are often concerned with significant side effects after treatment. Radiation and surgery can often result in incontinence and impotence. General health, age and the stage of the cancer will also impact the treatment decision.

There are many options for prostate cancer treatment and recovery. The traditional treatments like surgery and radiation are still popular, but urologists are also recommending alternative treatment options including HIFU or High Intensity Focused Ultrasound.

HIFU is a prostate cancer treatment option that uses the heat from the ultrasound waves to kill the cancer in the prostate. The waves are focused and precise up to 1/10thof a millimeter. A specially trained urologist uses a computer controlled rectal probe to recreate a 3D image of the prostate on screen and fires 600-700 pin point accurate ultrasound rays to the targets on the prostate. HIFU can treat the prostate with minimal damage to surrounding tissues and organs. It is also non-invasive and non-surgical, done under a general or local anesthesia.

An outpatient HIFU procedure is beneficial because it helps individuals recover from the disease with fewer significant side effects than other prostate cancer options such as radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy surgery. In fact, no deaths have been reported with the HIFU type of treatment. More quality of life can be maintained after outpatient HIFU treatment is complete as it is much easier on the body. Continue Reading

Prostate cancer is the number one cancer affecting men in North America. The risk of getting prostate cancer increases with age, lifestyle and family history. While there is nothing you can do about aging, you can make some lifestyle changes that will help with prevention.

For better prostate health, avoid foods that are high in fat, like meats and dairy, that can elevate testosterone levels and can stimulate prostate cell enlargement and growth. Minimize alcohol consumption. Certain foods can also help prevent prostate cancer and slow down the growth.

Increase your intake of soy – use it to replace high fat foods like red meats and cheese. Increase your zinc by eating foods like pumpkin seeds in the shell, nuts, oysters and beans. Selenium is also important and can be found in tuna, eggs, shellfish, wheat germ, herring, kelp, onions, garlic, mushrooms, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and cashews.

Exercise is very important for prostate health. It helps improve circulation and blood flow to the prostate gland. It also helps digestion which includes the removal of waste. Exercising also helps to keep the weight off since obesity leads to an increased risk. Be sure to get enough sleep as well. It helps with stress levels and allows the body to repair itself. Continue Reading

Like so many other organs in the body, the cervix can develop cancer. Unlike the others, it is the second-most prone to develop them, next to breast cancer. Cervical cancer doesn’t develop quickly. In fact, it can develop very slowly that the individual doesn’t even know it is there until they go for a screening or a physical exam. Since this is very prone to females, it is critical that we talk about different cervical cancer treatment options.

The most accepted way the medical industry treats cervical cancer is through hysterectomy. It is the surgical procedure to remove the uterus. If the cancer is already in the advanced stages, removal of the lymph nodes may prove to be a necessity. This type of treatment is most females worst nightmare as it removes their capability to give birth.

Fortunately, there are other, more gentle ways to treat cervical cancer, and keep the maternal capabilities intact. And for those women that want to stay fertile, there are a few cervical cancer treatment options they may opt to choose.

One of the more established process is the LEEP or loop electrosurgical excision procedure. The benefits include it being on the inexpensive side, a highly successful rate of treatment, doesn’t require major surgery, and uses only local anesthesia and can be done in the doctor’s office.

Another procedure is the cone biopsy. This surgical process includes removing only the cone-shaped samples from the mucous membrane, and then radiation therapy is applied. Continue Reading