Provides information and treatment options for male and female with sections on self exams, mammograms, mastectomy surgeries and more.

Posts Tagged ‘Cancer Pregnancy’

Pregnancy After Breast Cancer

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

Breast cancer originates from uncontrolled growth of cells in the breast tissue. The disease attacks more women than men. The risk of getting the disease increases with age. A good number of women get it in the age of thirties and forties of them. The disease therefore affects women during their child-bearing ages. Doctors now agree that, it is safe for a woman to get pregnant after completing their treatment. However, doctors had for long believed that increased levels of estrogen during pregnancy could lead to recurrence. One should never attempt to become pregnant while undergoing treatment. This is because, it increases the chances of the mother succumbing to the disease.

After treatment, one is expected to wait for at least two years before getting pregnant. This period is advised to allow the breast adequate time to heal and also for all toxins in the body to clear. These toxins are usually as a result of the medication one receives during treatment. The period is also used for monitoring the possibility of recurrence. If the disease were to recur, it would most likely happen during this two-year period. Recent studies have shown that getting pregnant after breast cancer treatment increases your chances of survival.

A woman might not conceive after breast cancer treatment. This usually occurs if the radiation treatment was performed on the ovaries. This could be as a result of the disease spreading to the ovaries. Infertility may also be as a result of some of the chemotherapy treatments. When this happens, the woman is unable to conceive and may have to consider other options such as adoption. Another problem associated with the available treatment options is that they could result in early menopause. This also results in a woman being unable to conceive.

Most of the women who can still conceive after breast cancer treatment suffer from a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. They worry about passing on the disease to their children. This is a particularly difficult time for a woman who comes from a house with a history of the disease. Such women worry about conceiving a child who will late go through the same agony as they did due to the disease. When a person is going through such concerns, they need to consult with their doctors who will put their fears to rest. They also need the support of family members who can be relied upon to take care of their children in case they do not survive.

Pregnancy and Breast Cancer Risk

Monday, January 18th, 2010

When a pregnant woman grows breast cancer, it is frequently detected at a later stage than it is in women who are not pregnant. This is since as long as pregnancy, hormone alterations lead to a woman’s breasts to broaden and become more tender and lumpy. This could make it harder for you or your doctor to discover a lump in your breasts. Mammograms are harder as well for doctors to read as long as pregnancy since the breasts becomes denser. The early alterations caused by cancer can be mistaken for or hidden by the normal alterations that occur with pregnancy as well.

Even as long as pregnancy, early detection is a significant element of breast health. Converse with your doctor or nurse concerning breast exams and the best time for your next mammogram — particularly if you are age 40 or older, or if you or your doctor observes an alteration in how your breasts appear or feel. As always, if you discover any lump or alteration in your breasts, tell your doctor or nurse immediately.

Pregnancy-Related Factors that Increase Breast Cancer Risk. A number of factors connected with pregnancy are recognized to add to a woman’s possibilities of developing breast cancer:

- After a woman gives birth, her risk of the disease is momentarily increased. This momentary upsurge lasts simply for a few years.

- A woman who in pregnancy took DES (diethylstilbesterol), a synthetic form of estrogen that was utilized between the early 1940s and 1971, has a faintly higher risk of developing breast cancer.

A number of treatments for breast cancer, like certain chemo drugs, might have an effect on a woman’s fertility. Still, lots of women are able to become pregnant after treatment. Women concerned in relation to their fertility ought to converse to their doctors regarding this prior to beginning treatment.

All women who have suffered breast cancer and are considering having children ought to converse with their doctors concerning their risk of cancer coming back. In numerous cases, counseling could assist women sort through the options that be associated with surviving breast cancer and planning a pregnancy.