You may still look exactly the same on the outside but because of your proximity to death but on the inside you have become a new and different person. You now value how precious life is when you come so close to losing it. The breast cancer survivor often looks around and asks the question: “How shall I spend the rest of my life?” The truth is most women after surviving breast cancer have a tendency to look at the lives thoughtfully and often even introspectively. Some patients after recovery will take a course of action that may turn their world upside down, while others will look around and come to a happy realization that they love their lives completely. They may even look at some areas and offer to help with things like volunteer groups to reach out and help of those less fortunate. Surviving breast cancer also gives the patient the ability to reflect on their lives such as what was good, what was bad, what could use improvement. So when we look at a diagnosis of cancer we must do or accept certain guidelines such as: raising questions about life and relationships, ending a specific period of one’s life, give a patient a chance to learn why we are here and what or who really matter in our lives, it can serve as a wake up call and may even give the survivors a feeling of permission to shift resources and priorities to what they feel more appropriate.

Once the breast cancer survivor opens his mind to all these new questions or ideas that may bring dramatic and hopefully welcome life changes; they must then ask how I make these changes happen. The first thing that a survivor needs to do is to have an honest look at your satisfaction level in life. In order to figure out what it is you do want out of life it helps to figure out what you don’t want.

Life coaches use a tool they refer to as a wheel of life which you can created by dividing a circle into eight pie-shaped segments. Label each segment with a category such as: friends and family, significant other, fun and recreation, health, money, personal growth, physical environment and lastly career. Now, taking the time to think about each for a few moments, rate them on a scale of 1-10 in satisfaction. This is your snapshot of your life satisfaction so you can wave a realistic magic wand and mark down in each pie segment where you would like to be and what you can do to get there. Write down lots of details and ideas no matter how trivial they may seem.

The next step on what to do after surviving breast cancer is to write down all the major stressors in your world whether it is work, finance related, relationship problems, or even your own self. Once we list them it is the first step in understanding them and probably reducing the amount of stress they create. It may be as simple as being truthful with people about how you feel or as complicated as a letting go of control.

Time is also a factor you should consider in your new life. How do you use it to best advantage? How do you waste it? Setting schedules and priorities for your time will free up available time for things you really need or want to do.

These may all seem like simple changes but in reality will help you on the way to creating a new and better life, one that suits you better for you now know just how precious life is.

Breast cancer is the second to lung cancer as the leading cause of death in women. Prostate cancer is second to skin cancer as the leading cause of death in men. Prostate cancer kills approximately 41,000 men each year. Breast cancer kills approximately 41,100 women each year. There’s not too much difference in the mortality rate between the two cancers.

Breast cancer gets a lot of attention because there are a large number of women who are survivors. Women have stepped up and brought their breast health out in the open. News media are showing breast self-exams on television with no censorship. The message is getting out to women all over the United States to educate them on how to examine their breasts. There are programs that fund mobile mammogram vans to go from community to community to offer reduced cost mammograms to women who might not otherwise be able to get one, due to lack of health insurance.

Most communities have free PSA screening for men for prostate health. Some communities have mobile prostate clinics, just like the breast cancer van that goes around. If you are a man and you don’t have health insurance, go to your search engine and type “free prostate screening” in your city or a city near yours, if you live in a small community. Prostate health may not be “in your face” as much as breast health, but that may be partly due to women being more vocal about their breast health. For many years women were not represented. It wasn’t until the 1980s that women’s health issues began to be recognized by the medical community.

Many men are not as public about their prostates as women are about their breasts. Men don’t have a segment on the news showing men how to check their prostates, like women do. Men should be educated on how to check their prostates, because they should do a prostate self-exam six months after having a clinical prostate exam by their doctor. Men can do a self-exam by themselves, or they can have their partner do the exam. Men and their partners should be taught how to be proactive about their breast and prostate health. Men don’t like having this exam done, because it is invasive. The only way to feel the prostate is to go through the rectum. Men should become more willing to check their prostates, or ask for assistance from their partners. If men are squeamish about checking their own prostates, they should ask to have the exam, because some doctors forget to do it as part of a routine exam.

If more men were more open about prostate health, there might be more attention paid to them in the form of fund raisers. You can hardly go a day without seeing or hearing something about breast health, and breast cancer. There does seem to be less attention paid to men’s health and prostate cancer. Most men, if they live long enough, will develop prostate cancer. Most men, by age 80 will have prostate cancer. If men were as vocal about their prostate health as women have become over their breast health, there might be more attention paid to prostate health.

The question with that uncertainty is that the method of treatment comes into play and how aggressive doctors should be in treating it. Should the treatments that are used for aggressive tumors or cancers be used on DCIS? Doctors and the patients must struggle with this issue and usually it comes down to the patient to decide. A leading obstetrician-gynecologist at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Susan Read, was quoted as saying that the medical profession is asking women to make decisions of life or death when it comes to DCIS without the facts to make these decisions.

DCIS diagnosis has grown rapidly since the early 70’s with the advent of mammograms for women. These breast cancer x-rays although often painful to women have succeeded in finding tumors too small to be discovered either by BSE’s or doctors exams. Most doctors do not take lightly putting their patients through the pain of such treatments as chemotherapy or radiation but they do not know enough about DCIS to determine if a small harmless tumor could suddenly turn lethal if left untreated. The result

To that end, scientific researchers and the medical community have look into possible things that might be a contributor to the cause of inflammatory breast cancer. One such area they have looked at is the problem of chemicals. These are such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers. These are found in blue jeans and non stick frying pans. There are also other chemicals dominant in the home as parabens. They are used to prevent the growth of bacteria in things like cosmetics, deodorants, shampoos and other household items. They have all proven to create inflammation in humans. So the question is whether those woman diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer be those who were exposed to these toxins in perhaps small amounts over a long periods? And would such a cumulative exposure for a long enough period be enough to cause a blockage of the lymph vessels?

With parabens they have been linked to cancer and reproductive health problems. According to the Environmental Working Group, those who have done studies on woman have found that 19 of 20 whose blood was tested showed they had some elements of parabens present. So that has help to give strength to the believe that such things that have these chemicals do contribute to this type of cancer.

Along the same lines, Datline NBC televised a two part report addressing the question if a “green” lifestyle is one that has less chemical toxins in the blood stream than others. They located two families wiling to participate with test being conducted by an independent lab. One family lived a normal lifestyle with no changes in anyway to the patterns of behavior they always practiced. The second were devoted to a

There are different types of breast cancer; the most common form of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma. Cancer cells found in different parts of the breast are unique. Under a microscope a cancer cell from a milk duct would look different than a cancer cell from a milk producing gland. The types of breast cancer are In situ and invasive, which will be explained below.

In situ breast cancer is a noninvasive type of cancer. The cancer cells are localized in their place of origin and have not moved to the surrounding tissues. In situ breast cancer occurs within the milk duct or milk gland. Cancer of the milk gland is called lobular carcinoma.The cancer cells in both ductal carcinoma and lobular carcinoma have not moved through the sites of origin or the surrounding tissues. The abbreviation for noninvasive cancer of the milk duct is DCIS, for ductal carcinoma in situ. Thus, the abbreviation for noninvasive cancer of the milk gland is LCIS, for lobular carcinoma in situ.

Invasive breast cancer is cancer that has cancer cells that have moved from their place of origin to the surrounding tissues. Cancer that started in the breast ducts and the milk glands has infiltrated through the lining of these structures and moved to surrounding tissues. Breast cancer cells can metastasize, leaving their place of origin, into other areas of the body. Invasive breast cancer can spread to the lung, liver, brain and bones. The abbreviation for invasive breast cancer of the milk duct is IDC, for invasive ductal carcinoma; the abbreviation for the medical term for invasive breast cancer of the milk gland is ILC, for invasive lobular carcinoma.

Approximately 70 percent of all breast cancers are IDC, invasive ductal carcinoma. The cancer cells in IDC may infiltrate the lining of the milk ducts, but remain near the place of origin, or they can metastasize to other regions of the body. ILC, invasive lobular cancer, occurs less frequently than IDC, but the cancer cells behave in much the same way as in IDC. The cancer cells infiltrate into the surrounding breast tissue and into the blood stream to other parts of the body.

A common place for cancer cells to spread is to the axillary lymph nodes located under the arm. There are more lymph nodes near the breast bone and collar bone, where some invasive cancers can move to. When cancer cells metastasize to the lymph nodes, they stick to them, which can cause clumping of the lymph nodes. The cancer cells can also stick to the chest wall. Cancer can penetrate through the chest wall and work their way out to the skin on the breast.

The more invasive breast cancer is the more severe it is. Because breast cancer tends to worsen as time goes by, its progression has been categorized into stages. Breast cancer is staged at 0, I, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, and IV. Stage IV breast cancer has no cure. Surgeries and treatments are more for comfort measures. A woman with Stage IV breast cancer must come to the realization that she has a terminal illness. Her cancer has metastasized to other areas of the body, such as the lungs, liver, brain, and/or bone. The life expectancy of a woman with Stage IV breast cancer ranges from 6 months to 6 years.

The fibrous connective tissue of the breast, lymph vessels, and the blood vessels can be places in the breast where cancer cells originate from. Ductal carcinoma is the most common and invasive carcinoma accounts for about 70 to 80 percent of all breast cancers. Lobular cancer is the second most common type of breast cancer. Cancer in other areas of the breast happens in rare occurrences.

If cancer manifests in the milk duct, it is called ductal carcinoma. If ductal carcinoma is noninvasive, it is called in situ ductal carcinoma (DCIS). If cancer begins in one or more of the lobes, it is called lobular carcinoma. Thus, if lobular carcinoma is noninvasive it is called lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). On the other hand, if ductal carcinoma is invasive it is called invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). If lobular carcinoma is invasive it is called invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). There is another type of breast cancer that is called inflammatory breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer manifests very quickly, and the cancer can develop to an advanced stage in just a matter of a few days.

Cancer cells can travel to other areas within the breast and to areas in other parts of the body. For instance, a person could develop cancer on the chest wall. Cancer cells break away from the localized tumor and move into the surrounding tissues. Cancer cells can be carried by the lymph and blood vessels to other areas.

Women often don’t expect cancer, because there is no pain, and breast cancer is usually painless. Unfortunately, if women don’t do routine breast self-exams, or they don’t have regular clinical breast exams or mammograms, breast cancer might not be found until the later stages. Women should perform breast self-exams at the same about the same time every month. Many women mark their day each month to check their breasts. They also keep notes about the appearance, and the way the normal lumps and bumps inside the breast feel like, so they can note any changes and see their doctor.

Sometimes mammograms are not enough to visualize the breast completely when the woman has very thick breasts. In some cases the doctor will order an MRI of the woman’s breasts to detect the presence of tumors; some tumors and calcifications are so small that they couldn’t be noticed by the doctor in a clinical breast exam. Some women elect to have both breasts removed in a double mastectomy, even if only one breast has cancer. Some women who test positive for the breast cancer gene will have their breasts removed without actually having cancer. This is called a prophylactic mastectomy or preventive mastectomy.

More than 40,000 women die every year from breast cancer. Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer for the cause of death in women. However, approximately 88 percent of women will survive breast cancer for 10 years. It is believed that people who live healthier lifestyles and eat foods with lots of antioxidants from berries and Omega-3 fatty acids will help prevent breast cancer in women. It is also believed that if you eat less meat and add more soy to your diet this will help prevent breast cancer.

Inflammatory breast cancer is a less common, but more aggressive type of breast cancer that is often described to manifest as a thickening of the skin on the breast. This kind of cancer is staged at Sage IIIB, Stage IIIC or Stage IV. An area on the breast could look something similar to a callus. The breast may increase in size, and there may be erythema of the skin on the breast. Erythema is a discoloration that could be dark, red or pink. With inflammatory breast cancer the skin may have a texture that feels similar to the skin on an orange.

Inflammatory breast cancer can cause pain. The pain may feel like a constant ache, or the pain may be sudden sharp pains that come and go. A person who has IBC may have a discharge coming from the nipple. The discharge could be clear, yellow, white, or bloody. The breast may also feel very warm to touch. The nipple may itch, and other areas of the breast may itch also.

Inflammatory breast cancer does not grow in the same way other types of breast cancer. Other forms of breast cancer, such as ductal carcinoma and lobule carcinoma are localized in the ducts or in the lobes of the breast. These types of cancers can be easily seen as tumors in the breast, but inflammatory breast cancer doesn’t grow that way. IBC grows in sheets or in nests within the breast. Inflammatory breast cancer looks totally different on a mammogram than the more common types of cancer.

To make a diagnosis of inflammatory the doctor will examine your breasts, you should also have a mammogram and ultrasound. The doctor will likely insert a needle into the breast to aspirate some cancer cells for a biopsy. You won’t feel a lump, like you might with other cancers. The diagnosis of IBC will also be accompanied by the stage. When the doctor knows whether the inflammatory breast cancer is Stage IIIB, IIIC, or IV, the doctor will know better how to treat you. Your doctor will also know by the stage what your long term prognosis will be.

Women should do breast self-exams (BSE) every month, preferably at the same time of the month. Part of the BSE is standing in front of the mirror and looking at your breasts. Women should know what their breasts look and feel like, so they can notice if there are changes in them. It is important to look at the skin of the breasts and look for symmetry, and skin color. It is also important that women notice the size of their breasts, so they can tell if their breasts are swelled or not. It is common for women’s breasts to be slightly different, but if you notice a significant change in your breasts you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

If you notice that the skin on your breasts feels scaly, thick, or if the breast feels like there is a callus on it, you need to see your doctor right away. Thickened areas on the breast are not always caused by cancerous lesions in the breast. Sometimes benign tumors grow in the breast that can mimic some of the symptoms of breast cancer.

Another idea to promote breast cancer awareness is to ask your doctors and other health care facilities to play a prerecorded breast cancer awareness message that clients can listen to when they are on hold. Most people hear music when they are put on hold, but if you could get the health care professionals to change their messages to meaningful information about breast cancer awareness, this would benefit many women.

As part of breast cancer awareness, you could ask the office managers in grocery stores, drug stores, doctors’ offices if you could post a poster from the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month’s educational campaign. You could list a toll free phone number for women to call for reduced cost mammograms. Everyone recognizes the breast cancer awareness emblem; women and men are very likely to read the sign and jot down the number. In fact, you could put pamphlets and other literature inside these establishments that list the phone number, email addresses and other pertinent information.

Another idea is to ask your employer to post a message about breast cancer awareness in with their paychecks. Most companies give paychecks out in an envelope; even the employees to get direct deposit may get their pay stub in an envelope. If a brochure or a pamphlet were in with pay stub, this would be a good reminder for women to get their mammograms. So many families don’t have health insurance, so any literature about how to obtain a mammogram at reduced cost would be welcomed.

Another idea is to contact your American Cancer Society and ask how you could schedule a breast cancer awareness event in your community. If you have a community center in your town, you could ask to reserve the center for a specific day and hold a breast cancer awareness event there. You could ask one of your local doctors to donate their time to speak to women about breast cancer and the importance of diagnosing it early.

Your church is a good place to speak about breast cancer awareness. If you are comfortable to speak in front of a congregation, or if you want to call a woman’s meeting after church hours, this would be a good way to “get the word out” about breast cancer awareness. It would be good to offer breast health education at church, because you can reach many concerned women and men. Men should be concerned about breast cancer also, because breast cancer can affect their wives, mothers, and other female loved ones. It should also be mentioned, in mixed company, that breast cancer is not just a woman’s disease. Men have a small amount of breast tissue, and they too can develop breast cancer. Men over age 50 are more likely to get breast cancer. Approximately 1500 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and approximately 300 men will die from breast cancer each year. Yes, women are much more likely to develop breast cancer than men; however, the number of men developing breast cancer and dying from it is significant enough to mention it in a breast cancer awareness event.

Susan G. Komen 3-day

The Susan G. Komen 3-day walk is scheduled 3 times in the month of November. In Dallas/Fort Worth the walk will be on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 6 – 8 this year (2009). The walk will start after the opening ceremony at Plano Centre. The participants will camp for the night, and start out on Saturday morning walking through downtown Dallas, Dallas, and Farmers Branch, through residential areas and parks. The walk will take you over the suspension bridge at Addison. Thousands of people will be cheering the walkers on. The participants will camp again for the night, and finish the last part of the walk on Sunday and then have a celebration at the closing ceremony. The registration for this event is now closed, since at the writing of this article, the walk is just 3 days away.

In Arizona on November 13

Some of the symptoms of breast cancer are directly related to the abnormal growth of cells in the breast tissue. For instance, you may do a breast self-exam and find a lump that wasn’t there before. You may also see puckering of the skin of the breast, and the nipple on one of your breasts may be inverted. There may be a feeling of thickness in the breast that wasn’t felt before. You may also notice a patch on the skin that looks and feels similar to a callus. There are many symptoms of breast cancer, and there are more symptoms as breast cancer advances to the later stages.

As cancer progresses, you may discover a lump under your arm. This happens as cancer cells move out of their place of origin and begin to move through the nearby tissues. As breast cancer cells move they get into the lymphatic symptoms and set up residence in the lymph nodes. As the breast cancer cells continue to multiply you may begin to feel tenderness, and you may begin to feel the lump. However, cancer cells can grow in the lymph nodes and be too small to be felt in a routine breast self-exam.

In Stage 0 breast cancer you may or may not feel a lump. The cancer cells will remain in the breast duct. In Stage I you may or may not be able to feel a small lump in the breast or in the lymph nodes under the arm. In Stage IIA you may be able to feel a lump about the size of a grape in the breast and you may or may not be able to feel cancer growing in the lymph nodes. In this stage there may be a slightly larger tumor in the breast, but no cancer in the lymph nodes. In Stage IIB you may or may not be able to feel a tumor in the breast, and the cancer can spread to stick to lymph nodes around the breast bone and other structures in that area. You may be able to feel and estimate the size of the tumors in Stage IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, and IV.

Breast dimpling isn’t always from breast cancer, but it can be. The reason you notice the skin on your breast dimpling is because the tissues underneath are retracted by the way the invasive cancer cells are attached. Sometimes cancer cells stick to different structures, including lymph and blood vessels. As the cancer cells pull on the structures under the skin the skin will pucker or dimple.

Thickening of the skin can be can be caused by inflammatory breast cancer. Some types of cancer grow in sheets, rather than in clumps. The cancer cells can penetrate and invade tissues of the breast and penetrate the skin. The skin may look and feel different. You can definitely feel a thickening of the skin. Sometimes the thickness may look something like a callus on the skin. The skin may have a different texture, and may feel and look something like the skin on an orange.

When breast cancer metastasizes, cells from the breast cancer move away from their point of origin to other parts of the body. This is sometimes called secondary breast cancer. You may have symptoms in other parts of your body. For instance, if cancer cells move to your bones, you may have pain. If cancer cells move to your lungs you may have shortness of breath and other breathing related symptoms. Breast cancer cells that move to your bone, brain, lung and other areas are called secondary breast cancer.

Obviously, you may not always see or feel any signs and symptoms of breast cancer; it is vitally important that women do monthly breast self-exams. It is also important to have a clinical breast exam yearly, and if you are 40 and over you should have a mammogram every one or two years.