Cancer Types: Breast

Good morning everyone!

It’s been a crazy week for me so I’ve not had much time for my blog. I’ve wanted to do this post for a while because it is such a common cancer that affects so many people. I recently met a very brave lady who is currently suffering from breast cancer and several of my fellow Cancer Research UK Ambassadors have also had to deal with this horrific cancer type. This post is dedicated to all the women and men that have had to face breast cancer at some point in their lives.

The Breast:

Breasts are made up of fat, gland tissue and connective tissue which is divided into lobes. A network of ducts spread from these lobes towards the nipple. Breasts are not usually the exact same size as each other and they can also vary in size and shape throughout your monthly cycle. They also change with age – younger women have a lot more glandular tissue so their breasts are usually more dense. After the menopause this tissue is gradually replaced by fat, which is less dense.

Breast Cancer Symptoms:

As with all cancers; the earlier breast cancer is found, the easier it is to treat. This means ladies need to be aware of what is normal for their breasts. You need to regularly have a good old feel of your breasts so you become used to how they look and feel. That way it will be easy for you to spot any changes that may actually be cancer symptoms. Do not panic as about 90% of breast lumps are not cancerous but if you do think something is not right, it is vital that you visit your GP ASAP.

The most common symptoms of breast cancer is a lump or some thickened tissue in their breast. There are also other symptoms to watch out for:

A change to the size or shape of one or both breasts

Nipple discharge

A lump in your armpit

Dimpling on the skin of your breasts

A rash on or around your nipples

A change in how your nipple looks (for example it can become sunken or invert into your breast)

A pain in your breast or armpit that is not period related

It is hugely important to know what is normal for your breasts so I fully encourage all ladies to regularly feel their breasts. Just after a shower is probably the best time. Maybe you can get your partner to feel to so you can have a second opinion if you feel something has changed.

KNOW YOUR BOOBS LADIES!!!

Types of Breast Cancer:

Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS)

This is not cancer. LCIS means cells changes have occurred inside your breast lobes and you have an increased risk of developing breast cancer in the future as a result. However most women with LCIS do not get breast cancer. LCIS is also found in men but this is very rare.

If you are diagnosed with LCIS then you will need to be monitored closely. Your doctor may suggest  breast examinations every six months and mammograms every year. You may also be offered hormone therapy to lower your risk of breast cancer. This monitoring is vital as cancer is easier to treat, the earlier it is diagnosed.

Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS)

DCIS is cancer that has developed inside some of your ducts but has not started to spread into the surrounding breast tissue. There is very little chance that this type of cancer will have spread to your lymph nodes or other parts of your body

In most cases, the main treatment for DCIS is surgery. Usually the area of DCIS and some healthy surrounding tissue will be removed. This is known as local excision. Radiotherapy may also be required after surgery to ensure any stray cells are caught and destroyed.

Tamoxifen may be prescribed for you after treatment. This is a type of hormone therapy which will help protect you from developing breast cancer again in the future.

Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer

This is the most common type of breast cancer. Around 70-80 out of every 100 breast cancer cases are invasive ductal breast cancer (80%)

This cancer will have started in the cells lining the breast ducts and it will have spread into the surrounding breast tissue.

Treatment varies depending on the staging and grading of the cancer. You may be offered surgery to remove the cancer and some surrounding healthy tissue. This will be followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy to destroy any remaining stray cells. Radiotherapy or Chemotherapy may be used to shrink the cancer before surgery. You may also be offered hormone therapy. Your specialist will discuss the options with you as they vary for every patient.

Invasive Lobular Breast Cancer

About 10% of breast cancer cases are invasive lobular carcinoma. It is mostly found in women aged between 45 and 55. This type of cancer will have started in the cells that line the lobules of your breast. This type of cancer is also found in men but it is very rare. This type of cancer can be hard to diagnose as it does not always create a firm lump in your breast nor does it show up on mammograms.

Treatment for this type of breast cancer will usually involve surgery to remove the cancer and some surrounding healthy tissue.  This will normally be followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy to destroy any stray cells left behind. Hormone therapy may also be recommended.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

This is a very rare type of breast cancer, only about 4% of breast cancer cases are inflammatory breast cancer.  The breast tissue will have become inflamed and the cancer cells will be blocking the smallest lymph node channels in your breast. This will cause your breast to become swollen, hard, read and hot to touch. It can also be painful. It may also cause nipple discharge and your nipple may become inverted.

Chemotherapy is usually the first form of treatment and that is normally followed by surgery. Radiotherapy may also be an option.

If you are worried about breast cancer then please do visit www.cancerresearchuk.org or make an appointment to speak with your GP ASAP.

Cancer and Fertility

So as I have previously mentioned: I work in a very busy fertility clinic in Harley Street. I've learnt lots about fertility and I get very excited when our patients come back with positive pregnancy tests. I love meeting the babies we help create and seeing how happy our patients are when their dreams come true.

I have decided to combine my day job with my voluntary work and do a post about cancer and fertility. It's a huge subject but it doesn't get much attention. More and more people are surviving cancer and I think it's awful that a lot of them will lose their fertility and not know about it. I'm working a a few projects to help cancer patients with their fertility and will let you know more as soon as my plans come to fruition! The NHS is not always able to freeze eggs or sperm; there is certain criteria patients have to meet but private clinics will allow you to freeze and preserve your eggs/sperm until you are ready to use them.

It is hugely important for you to discuss your risk of infertility before embarking on your treatment. If you have a partner then it is important for them to be part of the discussion. It is important for you both to have all the information so you can work out your options together.

It is very important to note that although your periods may stop; it still may be possible for you to get pregnant during your cancer treatment. It is vital that you use reliable contraception when having sex whilst having treatment.  Cancer treatments can be harmful to foetuses and to the expectant mum so it is hugely important to avoid pregnancy whilst suffering from cancer.

·         Some cancer drugs cause infertility meaning you can’t have children naturally.

·         Whether your infertility is permanent or just temporary would depend on a number of factors: The type of chemo drugs you are using, your age, your cancer type

·         Many people do go on to have healthy children even after undergoing cancer treatment.

·         Cancer treatments can stop your ovaries working. This could be a temporary and only apply whilst you are undergoing chemo but for higher doses of chemo the effects will usually be permanent.

Temporary Infertility

If your infertility is a temporary side effect of your cancer treatment then your periods will become irregular or stop completely during your treatment. They will gradually go back to normal once you have finished your treatment. This can take about six months to a year.

Early Menopause/Permanent Infertility

If your fertility is a permanent result of your cancer battle then you may have an early menopause. Your periods will become irregular and then stop completely. You may also experience hot flushes, dry skin, loss of energy and sex drive, mood swings and vaginal dryness although your doctor may prescribe you HRT to reduce these symptoms. This will be given to you after your chemotherapy treatment although unfortunately it will not enable your body to start producing eggs again and cannot prevent your infertility.

Preserving your Fertility

It is more complicated for women to preserve their fertility then it is for men but it is possible and there are several options for you to consider including freezing embryos, eggs or ovarian tissue.

This will have to be done before you start your treatment and will involve you having to have some eggs collected. This process takes several weeks and it is important to get it done as soon as you possibly can so you can begin treatment for your cancer and have the best chance of fighting it.

Collecting your Eggs

Stage 1: One the first day of your period you will be given an injection to temoraily give your specialist control of your egg production

Stage 2: Your ovaries are stimulated with hormone injections to produce extra eggs

Stage 3: The eggs are collected with a needle which is inserted through your vagina (you can be sedated for this)

Embryo Freezing

If you have a partner and you are both happy to have embryos created then your egg will need to be injected with your partner’s sperm. For this to happen your partner will need to produce a semen sample. It is also possible for you to use a donor sperm sample if you are currently single or in a same sex relationship. The sperm and egg are put together in a petri dish to allow fertilisation. It is also possible for mature eggs to be stripped and directly injected with the sperm to promote fertilisation. This is known as ICSI. The embryos are then prepared for flash freezing by being dehydrated and undergoing anti freeze treatment. They are them vitrified by rapidly being frozen in liquid nitrogen

Egg Freezing

If you are currently single then egg freezing is also an option for you. Your eggs will be vitrified which will hopefully give them a higher chance of survival. The eggs are collected and are then dehydrated and treated with anti freeze to prepare them for flash freezing. They are then rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen. They can then be thawed with a much reduced chance of having crystals form which will hopefully prevent damage to the chromosomes

Sperm Freezing

Sperm can be frozen with relative ease. It can be frozen for more than forty years and still normally be thawed successfully. Before undergoing sperm freezing you will have to undergo a few tests to make sure you are clear of any infectious diseases such as Hepatitus B and C or HIV. You will also need to give written and signed consent for your sperm to be stored. You will provide a fresh sperm sample which will be frozen and stored in a tank of liquid nitrogen. You will have to wait a miminum of six months before being able to thaw your sperm sample for use in fertility treatments.

Getting Pregnant After Cancer Treatment

It is recommended that women wait at least two years after cancer treatments have finished before becoming pregnant. This is because if your cancer is going to reoccur then it is most likely to happen within the first 2 years after your original diagnosis.  

Once those 2 years are up, and you are ready to start a family, you can look into various fertility treats such as IVF or IUI for you or your partner to become pregnant using your frozen samples. 

For more information about fertility treatments please contact www.londonwomensclinic.com or www.londonspermbank.com

For more information on how your cancer treatment will affect your fertility please visit www.cancerresearchuk.org or ask your specialist.
  

Happy Birthday Nancy Scott: Fundraising Legend!

One of the best things about volunteering for Cancer Research UK is getting to meet fabulous people who have also been affected by cancer and want to help beat it.

Nancy Scott is a fundraiser extraordinaire: she fundraises for numerous charities, heads up the Cancer Research UK Fundraising Committee in Walton-on-Thames, works for Beating Bowel Cancer and somehow finds the time to be a fantastic wife, mother and friend too! She is also a twitter legend!

Nancy is one of the nicest people I know. She always has time for everybody and is supportive, friendly and kind to everyone she meets!

As well as being the mastermind behind the “Little Legs for Life” scheme, Nancy is also a Race for Life and Shine veteran and also hosts the “Pink Party” in Walton on Thames every year.

She is currently training for a hike of five peaks in the Lake District all in aid of Marie Curie. She will be doing this with friends on June 23^rd 2012.

Nancy has become a fantastic friend to me. She is always there with words of wisdom, offers of support and advice or simply funny conversation. She is a very kind woman with a lot of creative ideas and a genuine passion for helping others. There needs to be more Nancy’s in the world!

Happy Birthday Nancy!

If you live near Walton-On-Thames and would like to know more about Nancy’s fundraising committee, please visit http://www.crukwalton.co.uk/

If you would like to donate to Nancy’s 5 Peak Challenge, please visit her Justgiving page http://www.justgiving.com/Nancy5Peaks

Or you can follow Nancy on Twitter @CRUKWalton

xxx

Cancer Types: Testicular

Hi everyone,

I hope you are enjoying the sunshine wherever you are! I’m currently at work but I have the front doors opening so I can see the sunshine shining through! Remember to slap on some sunscreen today and protect your skin!!

This is going to be a male centric blog post today but it’s also one that women should read too. This blog post is dedicated to my very good friend Stuart – a testicular cancer survivor.

The Testicles:

The testicles are part of the male reproductive system and are two oval shaped organs that hang just below the penis in a skin pouch called the scrotum. From puberty, sperm is produced in the testicles as is the hormone testosterone.

Testicular Cancer Symptoms:

The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a lump or a swelling. PLEASE DON’T PANIC BECAUSE MOST TESTICULAR LUMPS ARE NOT CANCEROUS. A cancerous lump can vary in size but is usually not painful although some men will find they have a dull ache in the affected area or in their lower abdomen. The scrotum may feel heavy.

GUYS CHECK YOUR BALLS!

As I may have mentioned several hundred times before, cancer is easier to treat if it is caught early. Check your testicles often (once a month) and get to know how they feel normally. This will make it easier for you to notice and lumps and bumps that may appear. Get your partner to check them too so you have a second opinion if you need one.

The best time to check your testicles is after a warm bath because your scrotum skin will be relaxed. Here is a rough guide on how to check your testicles:

-         *  Hold your scrotum in the palms of your hands and use all your fingers and thumbs.

-          * Gently feel one testicle at a time.

-          * A noticeable increase in size or weight can be a sign that something is not right.

-          * You should be able to feel a soft tube at the top and back of the testicle. This is normal

-          * The actual testicle should be smooth with no lumps or swelling.

IF YOU DO FIND A LUMP OR HAVE CONCERN ABOUT YOUR TESTICLES, PLEASE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR GP ASAP. IT MAY BE SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR YOU BUT DETECTING ANYTHING WRONG AT AN EARLY STAGE COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR TESTICLE!!!

Risks and Causes of Testicular Cancer:

Cancer of the testicles is quite rare in the UK and not much is known about what causes it. However, there are several factors that can increase a man’s risk of developing the disease:

-          * If a young boy has an undescended testicle than it should be corrected by the time they turn eleven to avoid an increase risk of testicular cancer.

-          * Some men have Carcinoma in situ (CIS) which is basically abnormal but not cancerous cells in the testicle. These cells will have to be monitored to ensure they do not develop into cancer and are caught early if they do.

-         *  If you have a brother that has suffered from testicular cancer then research suggests this could increase your risk of developing it too. Around 20% (1 in 5) testicular cancer cases are caused by faulty inherited genes.

-          * Ethnicity is also a factor. In the USA, white men are 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with testicular cancer then black men. In the UK, testicular cancer is also much more common in white men. As yet, not much is known about why this is.

Treatment for Testicular Cancer

There are many factors to consider before your specialist will decide on a treatment plan for you. They will consider the stage, grade and position of the cancer as well as your general health and whether or not the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Treatment by Stage:

Stage One – If you have very early testicular cancer then the likelihood is that you will have surgery to remove the whole of the affected testicle. This is called an orchidectomy. You may also be offered Radiotherapy or Chemotherapy.

Stage Two - The treatment of stage two testicular cancers depends on the size of the affected lymph nodes.  It may be treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Surgery to remove the lymph nodes may also be an option.

Stage Three – After surgery, stage three testicular cancers are always treated with chemotherapy to shrink the lymph nodes. If they don’t shrink back to a normal size then they may be removed or treated with radiotherapy.

A LITTLE SIDE NOTE – I NOW WORK IN A FERTILITY CLINIC AND HAVE LEARNT LOTS ABOUT FERTILITY. AS SPERM IS PRODUCED IN YOUR TESTICLES – I STRONGLY URGE ANYONE DIAGNOSED WITH TESTICULAR CANCER TO ASK THEIR SPECIALIST ABOUT FERTILITY BEFORE THEY START THEIR TREATMENT. IF YOUR FERTILITY WILL BE AFFECTED BY YOUR TREATMENT THEN STORING YOUR SPERM IS A VERY EASY PROCESS AND CAN BE DONE BEFORE YOU START YOUR TREATMENT. IT IS VITAL TO PROTECT YOUR ABILITY TO FATHER CHILDREN IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A FAMILY IN THE FUTURE.

So guys, I’m actually encouraging you to regularly have a good old feel of your testicles! It’s hugely important to know your own body and what is normal for you so abnormalities can be detected ASAP should they arise. This could save your life! Please do go to your GP if you have any worries about anything mentioned in my blog post today.

For more information about testicular cancer please visit www.cancerresearchuk.org or visit http://www.orchid-cancer.org.uk/ which is a specialist charity for male cancers.

If you have testicular cancer and would like to preserve your sperm by freezing it – please speak to your specialist or visit http://www.londonwomensclinic.com/

xxx

Cancer Types: Lung

Seeing as my latest ambassador campaign is dealing with smoking, I thought a post about lung cancer was due.

Obviously, as we have recently seen with the late, great Donna Summer, not everyone diagnosed with lung cancer is a smoker. This means it’s not just smokers that need to be aware of the symptoms and other details to do with this horrific type of cancer. Hopefully I’ll be able to outline this cancer type clearly in this post.

The Lungs:

The lungs are part of the respiratory system and their main job is to bring oxygen into the body and pass it into the bloodstream.

The respiratory system:

-          The trachea (windpipe) divides up into two airways with one going into each lung. These are called the left main bronchus and the right main bronchus,

-          These pipes are divided into smaller tubes inside the lung – two on the left and three on the right. These smaller tubes are known as the secondary bronchi

-          The secondary bronchi are then divided again into even smaller tubes called bronchioles

-          At the end of the bronchioles there are tiny air sacs called alveoli in which oxygen is passed into the bloodstream and passed around the body. At the same time carbon dioxide comes into the alveoli from the bloodstream ready to be breathed out.

Causes of Lung Cancer and Risk Factors:

Cancer of the lung is the second most common type in the UK. It is one of the few cancers that has very clear causes.

SMOKING causes 9/10 cases of lung cancer. I’ve done posts about smoking before so I won’t go into detail but the majority of lung cancer patients are smokers or former smokers. AS SOON AS YOU STOP SMOKING YOUR RISK OF LUNG CANCER STARTS TO GO DOWN SO IT IS ALWAYS WORTH GIVING UP

Being exposed to radon gas is can also increase your risk of lung cancer as well as exposure to certain other chemicals. Air pollution, past cancer treatment and a family history of lung cancer can also increase your risk.

Symptoms of Lung Cancer:

The most common symptoms are:

Having a persistant cough

Being short of breath

A change in a  cough you have had for a long while

Coughing up phlegm with traces of blood

Pain when breathing in

Pain when coughing

Loss of appetite

Losing weight

Less common symptoms are:

A hoarse voice

Difficulty swallowing

A swollen face or neck

Treating Lung Cancer:

There are a number of factors to be considered before your specialist will decide on the right treatment plan for you. These include the type of lung cancer you have, the grade and stage of it, your general health and the position of the cancer in your lung.

Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy are common treatments for lung cancer. Surgery may also be an option depending on where your cancer is in your lung.

It saddens to me to know that so many cases of lung cancer can be prevented if people didn’t smoke. The fact that lung cancer is the second most common cancer type in the UK and that 9/10 of lung cancer patients are smokers is the reason behind all the tobacco control campaigns Cancer Research UK do. We can lower the numbers significantly if people take advice offered to them and quit smoking. Going cold turkey will not be anywhere near as painful as lung cancer J

For more information on Lung cancer please visit www.cancerresearchuk.org.uk

For information about quitting, please contact your local NHS Stop Smoking service

xxx 

Condolences

My MP, Mike Gapes, is very supportive of my charity work. He has met with me and spoken to me on several occasions. He is very sympathetic to my family history with cancer and is always very helpful and polite.

Sadly, Mike’s daughter Rebecca has passed away very suddenly at the age of nineteen.

I cannot imagine the pain Mike is going through, he was very close to Rebecca and to lose her so suddenly must be a huge shock.

I wanted to publicly give Mike my condolences and let him know I am thinking of him and his family at this incredibly sad time.

Mike is a wonderful ambassador for the London borough of Redbridge. He has been MP for Ilford South since 1992 and is very supportive of his constituents. A very nice man. My thoughts are with him.

RIP Rebecca x

Dawn and Stuart: Legends

Hi everyone,

I wanted to update you on two exceptional friends of mine. They have featured on my blog several times.

.................................................

Firstly, Stuart Pilcher is one of my closest friends and he has been for several years. He is funny, intelligent, kind and just amazing. He is also a testicular cancer survivor having fought the disease and kicked its butt as a teenager.

Stuart is taking his final exam at university today. He will soon be a Politics and International Relations graduate. He is currently working for Oliver Colvile MP but I know he is destined for even bigger things and fully expect him to become Prime Minister one day or be a big political hotshot in America. I will want him to promise to take me with him should he ever get to meet the Clinton’s!

Stuart is an inspiration. He was very young when he became ill and he fought with a brave heart and plenty of dignity. I’m so proud of him and wish him every success with his career. I can’t wait to see a photo of him in his cap and gown!

.....................................

Dawn Green is an incredible woman. She was diagnosed with Pseudomyxoma Peritonei four years ago and was given just 3 months to live. She fought this very rare cancer with every ounce of her being and managed to beat the disease. It came back and once again she beat it.

The cancer returned a few weeks ago and Dawn is undergoing major surgery today. All my thoughts and love are with her. She has found strength to build a fantastic charity to help others as well as being a Cancer Research UK Campaigns Ambassador AND a wonderful fiancée and mum to Jay, Megan and Kirsten. She is my hero and I’m really hoping she pulls through and kicks cancer into touch once again.

Thinking of you Dawn; my beautiful, brave warrior of a friend

(Please check out her charity and donate what you can http://www.pseudomyxomasurvivor.co.uk/)

............................

Special mention to my little sister Sophia who was chosen by her school to meet the Queen in Bromley today. We sisters like to aim high!

xxxx

More Plain Packaging Information

Happy May Everyone!


The year seems to be flying by so fast at the moment! As you all know I’ve just turned 23 and I have lots of plans for the year ahead! One of those plans is to help make the Plain Packaging campaign a huge success! I have some more information about the campaign to share with you today. You can now sign our petition straight from my blog, scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will find it there! Every signature counts so please do sign if you support us and send the link to anyone else you think may be interested in supporting us. I will be joining my fellow ambassadors and the CRUK Campaigns team at Parliament on June 27th to discuss the campaign with MP’s in more detail so we really do need to get as much support as possible before then.


Cancer Research UK has released a shocking video to support the campaign, I strongly urge you to watch the video and see for yourself just how important this campaign is.


The video link is: http://youtu.be/c_z-4S8iicc  and if you have any questions please just shout let me know or contact CRUK directly.


They have also released numerous documents to show the effects of packaging on teenagers. Have a read of them, especially if you are dubious about the campaign. They are really informative and full of facts that are actually quite horrifying. The documents certainly highlight the important and significance of plain packaging.


Report – The Packaging of Tobacco Products 
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/prod_contrib_wcm/groups/cr_common/@nre/@new/@pre/documents/generalcontent/cr_086687.pdf


 Report – Executive Summary 
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/prod_contrib_wcm/groups/cr_common/@nre/@new/@pre/documents/generalcontent/cr_086688.pdf


If you have facebook or twitter then please follow the campaign there. Twitter users; please use the hashtag #packetracket.
www.twitter.com/CR_UK
www.facebook.com/cancerresearchuk


If you live in the UK then please look out for your local CRUK Ambassador working hard to raise awareness in the local area. This may be on local radio or in the local press. Please show your support for them and the campaign!


If you have any more questions or would like some more information, please contact me or visit  www.theanswerisplain.org which is a special website CRUK have set up for the campaign


Thank you for your support!


xxx