Archive for the ‘Testing’ Category

BRAC analysis

Thursday, January 15th, 2009

Breast and ovarian cancer are great fears for most women today. Regardless of family history, it is still possible to get one or both of these cancers. There are 25,000 cases of ovarian cancer and 200,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed each year in the U.S. While most are not caused by hereditary risk factors, at least 10 percent of them are.

Today there are tests that will uncover the specific gene mutations that are known to cause breast and ovarian cancers. Many people are unaware of the cancer history in their families. Whether you have had cancer, or have a family history of cancer, these tests might be a life saving decision for you.

The test itself detects a mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes in particular. Any alteration of these genes makes a person more susceptible to breast or ovarian cancer.  These genes can be inheirant from our parents.

If either of these mutations appear in your test results, here are a few things you can do to aid in prevention of the disease.

Increase awareness of the breasts.

* Perform monthly breast self-exams starting between ages 18-21
* Annual or semiannual breast exams performed by a doctor starting between ages 25-35
* Annual mammogram screening starting between ages 25-35
* annual MRI screening of the breast tissue

Increase awareness of the ovaries.

* Annual or semiannual transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) starting between ages 25-35
* Annual or semiannual check-up on serum CA-125 levels (request this with your gynecologist)

Preventive Drug Therapies for Breast Cancer
There are new preventive drug therapies that can also be implemented along with increased surveillance and awareness of the breast tissue. Most commonly, tamoxifen is used.  It is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), which has been proven to cut the  risk  by 50% for women with BRCA mutations.

Preventive Drug Therapies for Ovarian Cancer
Oral contraceptives are known to reduce the chances of ovarian cancer in women with BRCA mutations, as well as those without. Research shows a 60% reduction in women with BRCA mutations who took oral contraceptives.

Prophylactic Mastectomy
This may seem extreme to some women, but it is proven effective. Prophylactic bilateral mastectomy has been shown to reduce breast cancer risk by greater than 90 percent in women with a BRCA mutation or a family history of the disease.

Prophylactic Oophorectomy
While not quite as extreme as Mastectomy it is more effective and has multiple benefits. Prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy has been shown to reduce ovarian cancer risk by a staggering 96 % in  those women with a BRCA mutation. It is recommended usually for those over 35 years of age and after childbearing is completed. If this procedure is performed pre-menopausally, it is also proven to reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 50 percent.

BRAC analysis gives the patients power against the disease.  It informs you or your risk and allows you to make decisions now that will help in prevention and treatment of these two diseases.

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Tips for Healthy Resolutions

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

As the new year approaches, many of us are thinking about resolutions.  At the top of most people’s list is the desire to become healthier.We all want to be healthy, some of us know how to do so, but don’t force ourselves.  Others aren’t sure how, therefore can’t quite do it.  Below are a few tips for becoming a healthier you.

1. Have Joy In Your Life- Leave time in your schedule for friendships and fun times with family. Quality time means turning the TV and the computer off and spending time with your loved ones.
2. Stop Smoking- Stop the use of any form of tobacco.  This is one of the most important steps in getting healthy.  Tobacco is the leading cause of some cancers and other oral health issues.
3. Get Moving- You don’t have to begin a high endurance workout routine, just move your body. Moderate aerobic exercise is a good way to improve your health. It’s great for your mood, for your heart and of course, for your waistline.
4. Get Colorful- Colorful fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants.  Antioxidants aid in slowing the cellular aging process. They also give us energy.  Think of your dinner plate as an artists palate and try to incorporate many different colors.
5. Get Your Checkup- Be sure you get all the annual checkups you need as well as the scheduled tests for your specific age.  This includes colonoscopies, mammograms and routine bloodwork.  This will help you maintain optimum health and catch any other problems in their early stages.

Out health is often last on the list in our busy overscheduled lives, until there is a problem.  Take the time for yourself.  It makes you a better partner, a better parent, a better spouse and a better employee.  In many cases once you see symptoms of a health concern it is too late and treatment can be far more involved.  Stay active and take care of yourself as a start for a healthy happy new year.

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Effects of Food Dye

Monday, December 1st, 2008

Are you struggling with hyperactive behavior in your child, or in yourself? My recent research leads me to believe that food dye could be the cause of this behavior.  Red # 40 seems to get the most bad press, but yellow food dye is right up there on the undesirable list.  There is an epidemic of overly diagnosed and overly medicated children, being treated for ADHD, when they in fact may have a red dye allergy or a food dye allergy.

The “sugar rush” many parents fear after their child consumes a lot of sweets actually may be caused by the dyes found in a lot of the candies they consume.  While sugar may be the culprit, in many cases it it the effect of the food dye which causes this out of control behavior. Many of the children diagnosed with ADD or ADHD may just be on “dye overload”.

If your child is diagnosed with one of these conditions, try making dietary changes before you resort to prescription medications. Start by avoiding all foods with food dye.  Especially reds and yellows, starting with red #40 as it seems to be the leading cause of negative reactions in children. Within 3 days you will likely notice a dramatic difference in your child’s behavior.

As you begin the elimination process, you will notice that  food dyes can be found in all types of foods.  They are everywhere. They are found in “healthy” foods such as granola and even as an additive to some fruits to improve the appearance of the skins.  It’s best to avoid any processed foods.  Shop the perimeter aisles of the supermarket and read labels of EVERYTHING.

Food dyes are also known to cause other allergic reactions such as skin rash, and  anaphylactic responses.  They are becoming a hot topic overseas and banned from many popular foods in England. The dyes are only added for appearance, and are very harmful to many people.

Food dye reactions cause learning problems as well.  The fidgety behavior and inability to focus, (often diagnosed as ADHD), will certainly cause a child to fall behind in school. Many children begin to recognize the changes and know exactly what foods to avoid.  Some are even reported to recognize and dislike the way they feel after consuming the food dye.

It may be a bit inconvenient, but you will be doing your child, and yourself a big favor by removing it from their diet.

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HPV and Oral Sex

Monday, November 17th, 2008

We’ve all heard about STD’s and the risks associated with unprotected sex. But the latest thing I’ve learned about STD’s is mind blowing.  Somewhat recently a vaccine for HPV has become available.  HPV (human papillomavirus) is the virus that can cause cervical cancer in women.  But here’s interesting, scary fact I have recently been made aware of; Throat or oral cancer can be caused from oral sex. This was quite shocking to me when I saw a story about it on the national “morning show.”

Another startling fact is that teenagers today is having more unprotected oral sex.  They truly believe that oral sex is not “sex” and since you can’t get pregnant from it, it is not dangerous.  Now we as parents and educators we must educate them on all of the risks and downfalls of oral sex as well as intercourse.

This is an important matter that must be addressed among our youth.  In many high schools today there are disturbing “oral sex clubs” and oral sex games that kids are taking part in. The kids don’t lose their virginity, they can’t get pregnant, but they’re still giving and receiving pleasure.  They are not aware of the fact they are risking their lives when they participate.

HPV is found in the mucous membranes of the genital tract.  Transmission can be from mouth to mouth kissing, intercourse or oral sex.  Oral sex is the newest culprit to hit the news media. Like other STD’s having multiple oral sex partners will greatly increase the risk of contracting HPV and developing some type of oral or throat cancer.  While the risk appears to be somewhat slight, the medical community is learning more and more on a daily basis about it’s growing risks. The prognosis of this type of throat cancer is still good, having most cases live past the five-year mark, however, the disease is still being studied and new determinations are being discovered.

Many people will be infected with HPV without ever developing cancer from it.  HPV can be easily treated if caught in time. In most cases it can be detected through a simple blood test. But really, who wants to be faced with the embarrassment of explaining the throat cancer is from oral sex?

Like many other things in life, it comes with its risks.  Abstinence is best in most cases. I’t a hard rule to follow, but here again if it’s your life depending on it, it may not be that hard to abstain.

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Preventive Scans

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

Due to recent medical advances there are now multiple different tests available to determine your at risk level risk for a multitude of different illnesses and diseases. If you have a family history or believe that you are somehow at risk for developing a particular type of cancer or other condition, in many cases there is a scan available for testing your likelihood.

There are total body scans available now that virtually test for anything. While an annual physical is still extremely important, theses scans can help with early detection which can uncover asymptomatic and often life-threatening diseases that are not usually detectable by physical exam or standard screening tests. This will allow the patient to manage their treatment of any disease in early stages. There is some controversy about their effectiveness and the amount of radiation being exposed.  Some of the tests, like CT scans, are said to expose the patient to a high dose of radiation that causes cancer in itself. However, if you are seriously concerned about your chances of developing cancer, heart disease, or any other serious condition, a total body scan may still be right for you.

There are some things to consider once you receive the outcome of the at risk scan.  In some patients, such as women at high risk for developing breast cancer, there is a serious choice to be made. Once you know the potential for developing this or any type cancer, you can opt to remove the breast all together and have a mastectomy.  This may seem drastic and unnecessary to some, but if you have watched a loved one suffer through the disease, it may not sound so unheard of. It may be a way to protect yourself from the inevitable.

There are blood tests and multiple other tests to check for a person’s particular risk levels to each particular condition.  Working with your doctor and understanding your family history of illness is very important in diagnosing and treating any potential condition.  Some diseases are hereditary and no matter what you do, you still may not prevent them, but testing and constant awareness can greatly reduce your risk of dying from a particular disease or condition.

Your health is something to be taken very seriously.  A total body scan or any other type preventive scan is something that should be considered standard, in order to prevent and possibly diagnose a problem before it is too late.

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