Treatment for Breast Cancer

 Breast Cancer

Different types of treatment available for patients with breast cancer. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a study designed to improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment is the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.

Surgery

Most patients with breast cancer surgery to remove cancer of the breast. Some of the lymph nodes under the arm are usually out and looked under a microscope to see whether they contain cancer cells.
Breast-sparing surgery, an operation to remove the cancer, but not the breast itself, includes the following:

• Lumpectomy: Surgery to remove a tumor (lump) and a small amount of normal tissue around it.
• Partial mastectomy: Surgery to the part of the breast cancer and that some normal tissue around it has. This procedure is also called a segmental mastectomy.

Patients treated with breast-conserving surgery may also be a number of lymph nodes under the arm are removed for biopsy. This procedure is called lymph node dissection. It can be done at the same time as the breast-conserving surgery or after. Lymph node dissection is done through a separate incision.
Other forms of surgery are the following:

• Total mastectomy: Surgery to remove the whole breast that has cancer. This procedure is called a simple mastectomy. Some of the lymph nodes under the arm can be removed for biopsy at the same time as the breast or after surgery. This is done through a separate incision.
• Modified radical mastectomy: Surgery to remove the whole breast that has cancer, many of the lymph nodes under the arm, the lining of the chest muscles, and sometimes a part of the chest wall muscles.
• Radical mastectomy: Surgery to remove the breast cancer, chest wall muscles under the breast has, and all of the lymph nodes under the arm. This procedure is called a Halsted radical mastectomy.

Even if the doctor all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the delete operation, some patients may be given radiotherapy, chemotherapy or hormone therapy after surgery are any cancer cells left to kill. Treatment given after surgery to reduce the risk that the cancer will return is called adjuvant therapy.
If a patient does have a mastectomy to breast reconstruction (surgery to rebuild a breast shape after a mastectomy) may be considered. Breast reconstruction can be done at the time of mastectomy or at a later date. The reconstructed breast may be made to own (the patient nonbreast) tissue or by using implants filled with saline or silicone gel. Before the decision to implant is made, patients can call the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) or visit the FDA website for more information about breast implants.

Vaccine May Help Treat Brain Cancer

 

 A new vaccine for a deadly brain cancer known as glioblastoma doubled the survival time of patients, researchers from Duke University report.

Unlike other vaccines given to prevent disease, ''this vaccine is given when patients get the cancer," says researcher John Sampson, MD, PhD, the Robert H. and Gloria Wilkins Professor of Neurosurgery at Duke University Medical Center. In the future, however, he says, "it's conceivable a vaccine like this would be used to prevent [the cancer]."

The new vaccine, he says, "seems to be twice as good as the standard therapy alone." The results of the study are published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology

webmd.com

Top Hospitals For Cancer Treatment Germany

DRK Kliniken Berlin , Berlin , Germany   +1.303.578.0719

The DRK Kliniken Berlin is a network of five hospitals with medical departments and centres of excellence treating almost all illnesses. We provide not only high quality care and therapy but are a teaching hospital, offering up-to-date diagnostic technology and expertise coupled with advanced treatment methods. Our internationally accredited hospitals are situated in several of Berlin�s most beautiful locations.

	Martini Clinic , Hamburg , Germany   + 49 40 42 803 1313
	The Martini Clinic in the campus of the University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf is specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. We put our hearts into the health and rapid recovery of our patients. To enable this, we offer all established therapy forms, based on the latest research discoveries. One focus of treatment is on nerve-preserving removal of the prostate gland, which has an extremely positive influence on the consequences of this radical operation. Our experienced surgeons are among the best-known experts world-wide in this field. In the pleasant surroundings of our private clinic, they make sure that the quality of our patients' lives is preserved.

	University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany   +1.303.578.0719
	The University Medical Center is the largest hospital in Northern Germany. Almost all illnesses are treated in the 80 clinics and institutes of the center. Apart from medical care, the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf also carries out medical science research and is a teaching hospital, where physicians and other health care professionals are trained. Many doctors, scientists and students visit and work in our clinics and laboratories as guests.

Top 10 Hospitals For Cancer Treatment Uk

Only excellence is good enough when it comes to cancer care
So we have scouted the UK for hospital cancer treatment centres that care enough to go the extra mile, delivering (if only in some small but particularly thoughtful detail) the best and beyond.

 Cool caps
Hats off for the cool caps offered to chemotherapy patients (mostly battling breast cancer) at MACCLESFIELD Hospital. A rare NHS perk, these caps help reduce the hair loss which so undermines self-image. Reminiscent of a l920´s cloche, it is made of lycra-like material and filled with silicone chilled to a low temperatures by tubes attached to a refrigerator system. The cool cap has a 70 per cent success rate - bad for the wig trade but great for morale. "It´s a quality of life issue" says lead cancer nurse Karen Buckley.: New Cross Hospital

Raising the standard
Faded floral curtains scuzzy lino and bathroom tiling out of the ark have no place in the new £1m Snowdrop Milllennium cancer suite in New Cross Hospital, WOLVERHAMPTON. The fittings have five star hotel quality, and every patient has individual access to the phone and internet. Welcoming comfort is seen as a priority all part of the clinical service.

 Monklands Hospital, AIRDRIE

No Waiting
Waiting can be the worst torment but at Monklands Hospital, AIRDRIE, ScotLand, the one-stop breast cancer clinic delivers same day test results to two out of three women. Elaine Ferguson, Lanarkshire´s lead breast care nurse, explains that a GP referral taxed through on Friday means the patient is seen at clinic the very next Tuesday. Mammogram and ultrasound is followed (where necessary) by fine needle biopsy. Cytologists working within the clinic report back in 10-15 minutes. Core biopsy is also conducted on site with two specia!ist nurses to support patients on diagnosis. Surgery dates are offered within two weeks, If Lanarkshire can do it, why can´t the rest of the world?

 Colney Cancer Centre

Cutting edge Centre
The Colney Cancer Centre at NORFOLK and NORWICH University Hospital benefits from a state-of-the-art £20m investment. It now houses the most advanced radiotherapy equipment, guaranteed to remain cutting edge for the next 15 years, as maintenance and upgrading has been written into the US suppliers´ contract. The new technology has already meant some patients having treatment times reduced from many hours to a few minutes.
Records - from scans to treatment plans have been computerised to a degree unique in the UK so that people can be monitored seamlessly throughout their treatment

Top 10 Hospitals For Cancer Treatment USA

  University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

Three years in a row, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has topped the list at No. 1

 Memorial Sloan-Ketterling, New York

Memorial Sloan-Ketterling is a not-for-profit hospital. It also is a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center

Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore

Recognized worldwide for it's advances in cancer research and treatment, Johns Hopkins is one of the most respected cancer centers

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston

Not only was Dana-Farber rated number 4 in the country, it was rated Number 1 in New England

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn

The Mayo Clinic is considered one of the best when it comes to patient satisfaction. Located in Minnesota, clinics are also available in Florida and Arizona

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C.

 Located on campus at Duke University, this medical center is the youngest of the top cancer centers on the list. Don't let its infancy fool you; Duke University Medical Center's clinical and research programs rival the best

University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor

Patient care is a top priority at U-M. They offer a "Cancer Answer Line", a telephone service which is staffed ny oncology RN's. Anyone may use this service from patients to caregivers who are in need of assistance

UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles

UCLA's claim to fame was making the first diagnosis of the AIDS virus. The cancer research is award winning. UCLA has made the list 15 consecutive years

University of California, San Francisco Medical Center

UCSF is the one of a handful of cancer centers to receive the title "Comprehensive Cancer Center" in the state of California. They also offer a Cancer Research Center, which is available to patients, caregivers and anyone interested in cancer treatment

University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle

UW is an outstanding cancer hospital. They treat most cancers, common and rare. They offer services from consultation, diagnosis, treatment and follow up care

What is Cancer

 

What Is Cancer

Cancer is the general name for a group of more than 100 diseases in which cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Although there are many kinds of cancer, they all start because abnormal cells grow out of control. Untreated cancers can cause serious illness and even death.

Normal cells in the body

The body is made up of hundreds of millions of living cells. Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly fashion. During the early years of a person's life, normal cells divide faster to allow the person to grow. After the person becomes an adult, most cells divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells or to repair injuries.

How cancer starts

Cancer starts when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.

Cancer cell growth is different from normal cell growth. Instead of dying, cancer cells continue to grow and form new, abnormal cells. Cancer cells can also invade (grow into) other tissues, something that normal cells cannot do. Growing out of control and invading other tissues are what makes a cell a cancer cell.

Cells become cancer cells because of damage to DNA. DNA is in every cell and directs all its actions. In a normal cell, when DNA gets damaged the cell either repairs the damage or the cell dies. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired, but the cell doesn’t die like it should. Instead, this cell goes on making new cells that the body does not need. These new cells will all have the same damaged DNA as the first cell does.

People can inherit damaged DNA, but most DNA damage is caused by mistakes that happen while the normal cell is reproducing or by something in our environment. Sometimes the cause of the DNA damage is something obvious, like cigarette smoking. But often no clear cause is found.

In most cases the cancer cells form a tumor. Some cancers, like leukemia, rarely form tumors. Instead, these cancer cells involve the blood and blood-forming organs and circulate through other tissues where they grow.

How cancer spreads