Alternative Medicine for Breast Cancer
Introduction:
Before discussing about the breast malignancies, it's important to be well-known with the anatomy of the breast. The normal breast consists of milk-producing glands that are connected to the skin at the nipple by narrow tubes. The glands and tubes are supported by ligament made up of fat and fibrous material. Veins, nerves, and lymphatic channels to the lymph nodes make up most of the rest of the breast cells. This breast anatomy sits under the skin and on the top of the chest muscles.
Main Idea:
Breast melanoma develops in the breast cells, primarily in the milk ducts or glands. The melanoma is still called and treated as breast malignancies even if it is first discovered after spreading to other areas of the body. In those cases, the melanoma is referred to as metastatic or advanced breast cancer.
Breast cancer usually begins with the formation of a small, confined tumor, or as calcium deposits and then spreads through the channels within the breast to the lymph nodes or through the blood stream to other body organs. The tumor may grow and invade cells around the breast, such as the skin or the chest wall. Different types of breast cancer grow and propagate at different rates -- some take years to propagate beyond the breast while others grow and propagate quickly.
The words "alternative," "complementary," and "integrative" are often used interchangeably to describe non-traditional breast cancer treatments, but they have very different meanings. With some extreme exceptions, most non-traditional cancer therapies are not alternatives to standard treatments. Integrative care is a style of medicine that incorporates both traditional and complementary treatment.
The following five types of treatment are recognized by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine:
Diet and exercise are also an important part of complementary breast cancer treatment. Women with breast cancer are at increased risk for obesity, especially post-menopausal women who have estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. For this reason, increased physical activity and proper diet are crucial complements to traditional breast cancer treatments.
Conclusion:
"It has been demonstrated that increased physical activity improves survival among women with breast cancer," says Abrams. Exercise can also improve energy levels and help alleviate tension and depression. Abrams suggests a diet low in animal fats and high in fruits and vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. He's also a fan of seasoning food with garlic, onions, and turmeric and drinking green tea, all thought to have anti-cancer properties.
You can visit our pathology journal for more related information.
Before discussing about the breast malignancies, it's important to be well-known with the anatomy of the breast. The normal breast consists of milk-producing glands that are connected to the skin at the nipple by narrow tubes. The glands and tubes are supported by ligament made up of fat and fibrous material. Veins, nerves, and lymphatic channels to the lymph nodes make up most of the rest of the breast cells. This breast anatomy sits under the skin and on the top of the chest muscles.
Main Idea:
Breast melanoma develops in the breast cells, primarily in the milk ducts or glands. The melanoma is still called and treated as breast malignancies even if it is first discovered after spreading to other areas of the body. In those cases, the melanoma is referred to as metastatic or advanced breast cancer.
Breast cancer usually begins with the formation of a small, confined tumor, or as calcium deposits and then spreads through the channels within the breast to the lymph nodes or through the blood stream to other body organs. The tumor may grow and invade cells around the breast, such as the skin or the chest wall. Different types of breast cancer grow and propagate at different rates -- some take years to propagate beyond the breast while others grow and propagate quickly.
The words "alternative," "complementary," and "integrative" are often used interchangeably to describe non-traditional breast cancer treatments, but they have very different meanings. With some extreme exceptions, most non-traditional cancer therapies are not alternatives to standard treatments. Integrative care is a style of medicine that incorporates both traditional and complementary treatment.
The following five types of treatment are recognized by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine:
- Whole medical systems: These include culturally based healing traditions such as traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture) and ayurveda (a therapy originating in India that uses herbs, massage, and yoga), as well as Western medical systems such as homeopathy and naturopathy.
- Mind-body medicine: These therapies involve the mind's capacity to influence the body's functions. They include prayer, hypnotherapy, meditation, imagery, visualization, music therapy, and art therapy.
- Biologically based practices: These include nutritional therapy, supplements, vitamins, and herbal medicine.
- Manipulative and body-based practices: Included here are massage therapy as well as chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation.
- Energy medicine: These therapies, which are based on the energy fields that surround and permeate the body, include reiki and qigong.
Diet and exercise are also an important part of complementary breast cancer treatment. Women with breast cancer are at increased risk for obesity, especially post-menopausal women who have estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. For this reason, increased physical activity and proper diet are crucial complements to traditional breast cancer treatments.
Conclusion:
"It has been demonstrated that increased physical activity improves survival among women with breast cancer," says Abrams. Exercise can also improve energy levels and help alleviate tension and depression. Abrams suggests a diet low in animal fats and high in fruits and vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. He's also a fan of seasoning food with garlic, onions, and turmeric and drinking green tea, all thought to have anti-cancer properties.
You can visit our pathology journal for more related information.