There are many alternative cancer therapies available. The following descriptions encompass those which are most widely sought. There are additional therapies which we are adding on a second page that are not used as widely to treat cancer.
These listings do not imply an endorsement on the part of The Cancer Cure Foundation. They are included because of their popularity and are for informational purposes only.
For a more comprehensive review, we recommend taking a look at our books, audios, and videos page. Or, you can contact us for a free consultant, or go to one of the companies that offer fee based services.
Not recommend the abandonment of conventional therapies in favor of alternative therapies. That is a matter of personal choice based upon one's view of the nature of cancer. You should exercise caution before using any cancer treatment, whether conventional or alternative. Every therapy may have potential side effects and should not be used without consulting a health-care practitioner, especially if you are already using another form of therapy, or if you are pregnant or nursing.
By now you may be familiar with the statistic that says 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer. In each decade of life, the risk of getting breast cancer is actually lower than 13% for most women.
For you, a 1-in-8 lifetime risk may seem like a high likelihood of getting breast cancer. Even though studies have found that women have a 13% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, your individual risk may be higher or lower than that.
When we talk about factors that can increase or decrease the risk of developing breast cancer, either for the first time or as a recurrence, we often talk about two different types of risk: absolute risk andrelative risk.
Absolute risk
Absolute risk is used to describe an individual’s likelihood of developing breast cancer. It is based on the number of people who will develop breast cancer within a certain time period. Absolute risk also can be stated as a percentage.
When we say that 1 in 8 women in the United States, or 13%, will develop breast cancer over the course of a lifetime, we are talking about absolute risk. On average, an individual woman has a 1-in-8 chance of developing breast cancer over an 80-year lifespan.
The absolute risk of developing breast cancer during a particular decade of life is lower than 1 in 8. The younger you are, the lower the risk. From age 30 to 39, absolute risk is 1 in 233, or 0.43%. This means that 1 in 233 women in this age group can expect to develop breast cancer. Put another way, your odds of developing breast cancer if you are in this age range are 1 in 233.
From age 40 to 49, absolute risk is 1 in 69, or 1.4%.
From age 50 to 59, absolute risk is 1 in 38, or 2.6%.
From age 60 to 69, absolute risk is 1 in 27, or 3.7%.
As you can see, the older you are, the higher your absolute risk of breast cancer. Your individual breast cancer risk may be higher or lower, depending on a number of factors, including family history, reproductive history (such as menstrual and childbearing history), race/ethnicity, and other factors.
The absolute risk of breast cancer is much higher for women who have inherited mutations in the genes known as BRCA1 or BRCA2. Their absolute risk over the course of a lifetime ranges from 40-85%. This means that your absolute risk of having the breast cancer come back within 5 years is 10%, or 1 in 10. Relative risk
Relative risk is a number or percentage that compares one group’s risk of developing breast cancer to another’s. Understanding relative risk can help you answer an important question: If I make certain lifestyle choices or have certain treatments, how much will I increase or decrease my risk of developing breast cancer or having a recurrence?
Example of breast cancer risk going up
Many studies have shown that women who have two or more alcoholic drinks each day have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Compared to women who do not drink, women who have two or more drinks per day have a 25% higher risk of breast cancer. Compared to women who do not drink, women who have two or more drinks per day have a relative risk of 1.25. The .25 describes the relative increase in risk for the other group; it is another way of expressing the 25% higher lifetime risk (25% = .25).
Another way of saying this is that women who drink two or more alcoholic drinks per day have 1.25 (1 + .25 = 1.25) times the risk of developing breast cancer than women who do not drink.
Work - and Other Things - After Prostate Cancer Surgery
From Trevor Machin in County Durham
Well, here I am again: I am now 6 months post op. I am back to work now and have been for a few weeks. All is still going well. I do not regret my decision to have the radical surgery one bit.
All my worst nightmares were not founded, although there were and are things that change forever.
Physically I am doing very well: my waterworks are 98% back to normal. My ability to perform is doing very well too!! Obviously not the same as previous and I am not able to be too graphic on here, but I can honestly tell whoever reads this that if you are lucky enough to keep at least one set of nerve endings then with a little help from a pill you will eventually with patience have a satisfying time.
I was quite nervous for a while about going back to work after being off for a total of five months. I need not have worried. I was given a staggered start back to work before I went on to full time. This was very useful.
My colleagues at work without exception were superb. I was able to do my job without being treated any differently to anyone else. My return was monitored, and while I hadn't forgotten anything major to do with my job the only thing that had changed was in fact me.
I still do my work the same but I feel different. Not because of the surgery, I think it is the big "C" that makes you look at things in different way. Things that would have been possibly irritating before now just wash over. I feel more relaxed generally. Possibly this a relief type of reaction, if that makes sense.
So guys, whatever your age and if your diagnosis is the same as mine you can rest assured there is hope, lots of it. You will get over everything. Be positive, ask what you don't understand. There is nothing the medical staff hasn’t heard before.
Make sure that any information that you read is relevant to you. Some things cover a general situation.
I have done well to get to where I am today and I am proud of my recovery to date.
After your Surgery:
• You may get tired more easily. You will need to rest. Remember, you just
had surgery. It will take some time before you are back to yourself.
• You may have some soreness in the area where your stitches or staples are.
You will have medicine to help you take away your pain. It is important for
you to take the medicine as directed.
• Your scrotum (the muscular sac, which contains your testicles) this area
may be uncomfortable and swollen. Your scrotum and penis may also be
bruised. We will tell you later on in this booklet how you can help lower the swelling.
• If you have not had a bowel movement before leaving the hospital. There are
things that you can do to help you have a bowel movement. We will talk
about these things later in this booklet.
• Your catheter will still be draining urine from your bladder. You will be
given drainage bags for your catheter before you leave the hospital. You will
be given directions on how to take care of your catheter before you leave the
hospital.
If you have any questions as you heal from your surgery, ask your doctor or nurse
case manager.
Are There Things I Should Remember When I Get Home?
There are some things that you should remember to do when
you get home from your surgery that will help with your
recovery.
1. If you have stairs, it is best not to go up and down stairs more than 1or 2
times a day while you have a catheter. Before you come downstairs in the
morning, think about what you will need during the day and bring it with
you. Try to plan your day so that you use the stairs as little as possible. You
will only need to do this for about 2 weeks.
2. You will not be able to lift anything heavier than 5 pounds, which is about
the weight of a big telephone book for 2 to 3 weeks.
3. Remember, you will also get tired easier. Give yourself time to rest. Take
naps or rest periods.
Your Surgical Wound
It is important that the area around your surgical wound stays clean. You should
follow the directions you get from your doctor or nurse on how to care for your
surgical wound before you leave the hospital. Make sure to check with your doctor
or nurse case manager to find out if you can get your incision wet when you take a
bath or shower.
Your Bowel Movements
If you have not had a bowel movement before leaving the hospital, you will need
to have a bowel movement within a day or 2 after you get home. Constipation or
being unable to have a bowel movement can make you feel very uncomfortable. If
you are constipated there are some simple things that may help.
• Drink more fluids, at least eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day. A
glass of warm liquid when you first get up in the morning may start
your bowels moving.
• Add more fiber to your diet. Fibers is found in whole grains, such as
bran muffins and cereals, wheat germ, and whole wheat bread, fresh
fruits and vegetables, and prunes or prune juice.
• Eat fewer fatty foods (like fried fish, fried chicken, french fries or
high fat milk products).
• Increase your daily exercise. Even a daily walk can help relieve
constipation. See the part in this booklet called “When Can I Start
Doing the Things I Usually Do?” for more information on when you
can start exercising.
• Try not to push hard during bowel movements. By not pushing hard,
you will lower your chance of getting hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids
are swollen or inflamed veins around your anus or lower rectum that
can hurt and bleed.
• Talk to your doctor about taking an over-the-counter medication or
fiber laxative, such as Metamucil, to help you have a bowel movement.
• Talk to your doctor and nurse case manager about medicines you can
take to help you have a bowel movement. Do not put anything in
your rectum like a suppository or enema without checking with your doctor.
Your Comfort
During your first few days home, it may be hard for you to find a position that makes it easy for you to sit or sleep. You may have to try many positions to see which one works the best for you.
A lot of men find that sitting or sleeping in a reclining chair is best for them. If you use a reclining chair, you need to make sure that your catheter is placed in such a way that it will not get pulled. Remember, your catheter drainage bag should be kept lower than your bladder so that your urine can drain into the bag.
Yes, there can be side effects or unwanted changes in your body after your prostate cancer surgery. Side effects are different from person to person. Some men have side effects that may last for a short period of time. Others may have side effects that last for a longer period of time or forever. The good news is that there are ways to deal with most of the side effects.
This fact sheet is for men with advanced prostate cancer who are having problems with pain. of treating and controlling your pain.
Prostate cancer affects 233,000 men in the United States every year. (See “Stages of Prostate Cancer,” at right.) But for men living with advanced prostate cancer, the prognosis is getting better all the time, with a number of effective treatments available.
By now you have probably spoken with your doctor about PSAtesting. PSA refers to “prostate-specific antigen,” a protein produced by the prostate gland. High levels of PSA in the blood usually signal the presence of prostate cancer. And if a man has already been treated for the disease with surgery or radiation, rising levels of PSA often mean his prostate cancer has returned (recurred).
Doctors do use other methods to search for a recurrence of prostate tumors: spots of cancer cells can be found with X-rays of the bone, CT scans of the abdomen or the pelvis, and MRI scans. But the PSA test is probably the best indicator.
Today, the standard for treating advanced metastatic prostate cancer is hormonal therapy. This type of treatment was begun in the early 1940s, when doctors discovered that the male
hormone testosterone acts like a fertilizer, encouraging the cancer to grow. That type of surgery
for prostate cancer isn’t used much in the United States anymore, although in some parts of the
world it still is.
Without male hormones, prostate cancer retreats—goes into remission—often for many years. Removing the testicles is a drastic-sounding solution.
• The cancer may have spread to the bones
• The cancer can sometimes spread to the uncomfortable.
• Problems related to the cancer, such as constipation or muscle tension.
• Side effects from your treatments – for might not be causing the pain.
Your specialist team should investigate the cause of yourtreatments. mainly focused on pain caused by the cancer spreading to the bones.
Tell your doctor immediately if you experience nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, excessive tiredness, loss of appetite, flu-like symptoms, dark yellow or brown urine, and/or yellowing of the skin or eyes.
The Anatomy of Prostate Cancer
This drawing shows a cross-section through the male genital region, as seen from the side, with the front of the body at the left. A large prostate tumor has broken out of the gland to affect important organs nearby: the bladder, urethra (the tube through which urine leaves the body), and the rectum. The male urethra also carries sperm and seminal fl uids during ejaculation. Having advanced prostate cancer means that
the cancer has spread from outside the prostate,
to other parts of the body. Your cancer is not
Prostate cancer can
the bones and lymph nodes. A bone scan can
help show whether your cancer has spread to
the bones. other tests such as x-rays, CT (Computerised Tomography) scans or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans to find out if your prostate cancer has spread.
