Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is the uncontrolled malignant growth of cells in the ovarian tissue. The ovaries are almond shaped organs in the lower part of the woman's abdomen which produce ova and female hormones. Though ovarian cancer is an uncommon form of cancer, it usually occurs in women older than 50 years

• What is ovarian cancer?
• How is it caused?
• What are the symptoms?
• How is it diagnosed?
• What is the treatment?
• What are the side effects of treatment?

Oral Cancer

Oral cancers are the single most common group of cancers in any region in the body among Indians. They include cancers of the lips, cheeks, tongue and jawbones, the pharynx (throat) and the larynx (voice box).

• What is oral cancer?
• What is the cause?
• What are the symptoms?
• How is it diagnosed?
• How is it treated?

Medical Treatment,

What are the different mode of treatments for cancer?Non-surgical or medical treatments for different cancers include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy and immunotherapy

• What are the different mode of treatments for cancer?
• What is chemotherapy?
• What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
• What is radiotherapy?
• How is radiotherapy delivered?
• What are the side effects of radiotherapy?
• What is hormonal therapy?
• What is immunotherapy?

Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is an abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells in the liver. The liver is the largest internal organ of the body. It helps to regulate and store blood glucose (sugar). It helps get rid of drugs and toxins and produces important proteins.

• What is liver cancer?
• What is the cause?
• What are the symptoms?
• How is it diagnosed?
• How can it be treated?

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is diagnosed by biopsies where a tissue sample is tested for abnormalities. If the presence of the Reed-Sternberg cell is detected, HD is confirmed. The various biopsies that are done are from the bone marrow, lymph nodes and the cancerous mass of cells.

• How is it diagnosed?
• What is the treatment?
• What are the side effects of treatment?
• What is lymphoma?
• What are the forms of lymphoma?
• How is it caused?
• What are the symptoms?

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is of two basic types – non-small cell (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Of these the non small cell lung cancer accounts for a majority of cases of lung cancer. it grows and spreads more slowly than small cell cancer. The small cell lung cancer grows and spreads very rapidly to other parts of the body.

• What is lung cancer?
• How is it caused?
• What are the symptoms?
• How is it diagnosed?
• What is treatment?
• Are there any side effects?

Leukaemia

Leukaemia is a type of cancer that affects the white blood cells called leukocytes. Blood contains three types of cells – red blood cells or RBC’s that carry oxygen, leukocytes or white blood cells, WBC’s that help to protect the body against infections and platelets cells that help in blood clotting. These blood cells are produced in the bone marrow that is present in the cavities in bones. The leukocytes are of different kinds and various types of leukaemia are named after the kind of leukocyte affected.

• What is leukaemia?
• What are the different types of leukaemia?
• How is leukaemia caused?
• What are the symptoms?
• How is it diagnosed?
• How is it diagnosed?
• What is the treatment?
• What are the side effects of treatment?

Gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer rarely produces signs and symptoms in the early stages. When symptoms do appear, they often resemble those of other, more common, gallbladder problems, such as gallstones or infection.

• What are the symptoms?
• How is the diagnosis made?
• What is the treatment?
• What are the complications?

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of medications to treat cancer. It has played a major role in cancer treatment for half a century. Years of testing and research have proved chemotherapy to be an effective cancer treatment. It may be the only treatment, or it may be used in combination with other treatments, such as surgery and radiation therapy.

Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a disease caused by the abnormal growth and division of cells that make up the cervix (the portion of the uterus attached to the top of the vagina). Ninety percent of the cervical cancers arise from the flattened or squamous cells covering the cervix. Most of the remaining 10% arise from the glandular, mucous-secreting cells of the cervical canal leading into the uterus.

Cancer Pain

 Cancer causes intolerable pain that cannot be relieved - in fact some patients with cancer pain never have pain. For those who do, cancer pain can be relieved. Pain means that cancer is getting worse - Pain can be due to cancer or the effects of cancer treatment, Sometimes the pain is unrelated to cancer.

Colorectal cancer

 The colon and the rectum are parts of the large intestine. The intestine is an organ that helps in digestion and excretion. Digestion is mainly carried out by the small intestine, while excretion is the major function of the large intestine. A malignant growth of cells in the large intestine is called colorectal cancer. Separately, the cancer may be of the colon (colon cancer) or the rectum (rectal cancer).

Brain Tumour

A brain tumour, like a tumour anywhere else in the body, is a result of an abnormal proliferation of cells in the brain. A primary brain tumour is one where the tumour originates from the brain cells. Secondary brain tumours are cancers originating elsewhere in the body and spreading to the brain through the blood stream. It may be mentioned that some chronic infections like tuberculosis and fungal infections often produce a tumour like moss in the brain which may mimic a cancerous lesion. A brain tumour may directly destroy brain cells or it may cause brain dysfunction by various other means.

Bone marrow transplant

 Bone marrow transplant is a procedure in which healthy bone marrow is transplanted into a patient whose bone marrow is not functioning properly. Problems in bone marrow are often caused by chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer. This procedure can also be done to correct hereditary blood diseases. The healthy bone marrow may be taken from the patient prior to chemotherapy or radiation treatment (autograft), or it may be taken from a donor (allograft).

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the uncontrolled malignant growth of cells in the breast tissue. There are many types of breast cancers, those that form in the milk glands, in the ducts that carry milk, in the fatty area or in the connective tissue of the breast.

Work and Breast Feeding

Is it possible to breastfeed after work?

It is possible to continue breastfeeding the baby after returning to work. Working outside the home is often cited as a reason for the decline in breastfeeding rates around the world because breastfeeding and working outside are seen as mutually exclusive activities. But it has been observed that many working mothers have breastfed their babies successfully.

Problems during breastfeeding

Problems during breastfeedingBreastfeeding is the most natural thing for every mother and is an experience to be cherished. Sometimes, certain problems faced by mothers result in stoppage of breastfeeding or giving of supplements of animal milk/commercial infant formula to the baby. Problems include flat nipples, inverted nipples, breast engorgement, swelling, sore nipples or not enough milk, etc. These problems are preventable if care is taken from the pregnancy period to prepare for breastfeeding.

Some of these problems relate to the shape and size of the nipple and others are related to breast tissues as a whole. Here are the problems.

Myths about Breast Feeding

Myths about BreastfeedingYou have to drink a lot of milk to produce more milk

This is not true. Any type of food and fluid taken by the mother in adequate quantity is sufficient to produce enough milk. The production and quality of breast milk is not dependent on the milk intake of the mother. The baby's suckling on the breast is the key factor and more suckling makes more milk.

Fathers’ role in breastfeeding

Fathers’ role in breastfeedingNeedless to say, the wife needs support from the family members to be able to breastfeed successfully. This support should be true and committed. One of the best persons to provide support is the husband.

Breast Feeding Tips, Skills

As a mother, you should establish good breastfeeding skills as it helps in effective milk transfer to the baby. Good breastfeeding skills include proper positioning of the baby at the breast and effective feeding. One can feed the baby in any comfortable position such as lying (sideways) or sitting. The baby needs free access to the breast. This is important because poor positioning often results in poor attachment.

Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is a painful condition of the elbow that occurs due to repeated forceful impact on the extended arm. It is the result of small tears in muscles and tendons just above the elbow.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Dysfunction

The temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) the joint where the mandible (the lower jaw) joins the temporal bone of the skull, immediately in front of the ear on each side of your head. A small disc of cartilage separates the bones, much like in the knee joint, so that the mandible may slide easily; each time you chew you move it. But you also move it every time you talk and each time you swallow (every three minutes or so). It is, therefore, one of the most frequently used of all joints of the body.

Total Joint Replacement

Joint replacement is the procedure in which the joint is removed and replaced with an artificial joint or prosthesis. Damaged or diseased joints produce pain that may be severe and debilitating. Movement becomes gradually restricted. Total joint replacement is considered if other treatment options do not relieve pain and disability.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)

ACL is the short name for a ligament of the knee called Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Ligaments are tough, chord-like structures, which connect bones. There are four such ligaments in the knee - one on the inner side, one on the outer side, and two in the middle. The two middle ligaments cross each other, and are called cruciate ligaments. Of these, the one in front is called Anterior Cruciate Ligament or ACL.

Shoulder Dislocation

What is shoulder dislocation?Dislocation of the shoulder joint happens when the bones that make up the shoulder joint are moved apart so that the joint no longer functions. The shoulder is made up of two bones: the ball (the end of the arm bone, or humerus) and the socket (part of the shoulder blade, or scapula). When the ball part of the joint is dislocated in front of the socket, it is called an anterior dislocation. When it is dislocated behind the socket, it is called a posterior dislocation. In severe cases, ligaments, tendons, and nerves also can be stretched and injured.

Skull Fracture

A skull fracture is a break or fracture in one or more bones of the skull caused by head injury. Although the skull is tough, resilient and provides excellent protection to the brain, a severe head injury can result in skull fracture. Isolated skull fractures are not very serious, but their presence may suggest underlying brain injury, which could be serious.

Spasticity

Spasticity is a condition described by stiff or rigid muscles and exaggerated deep tendon reflexes, that interferes with muscular activity, gait, movement, or speech. This means that if one tries to move the arm or leg, resistance increases as the speed of the movement is increased. In some cases, the rapid increase in resistance leads to a ‘catch’ as the limb is moved, with a subsequent release of the resistance once the limb stops moving.

Rickets

Rickets is a disorder in which there is softening and weakening of the bones of children, primarily caused by the lack of vitamin D or calcium and phosphate. It is most likely to occur during periods of rapid growth when the body requires high levels of calcium and phosphate. It is usually seen in young children 6 to 24 months old and is uncommon in newborns.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease resulting in thinning and weakening of bones making them more likely to break. The bones in the body constantly go through a process whereby bone is absorbed and new bone is laid down. With age, this balance is disturbed, and while bone continues to get absorbed, new bone is not laid down at the same speed. This loss of bone material starts in the late thirties and becomes marked in women after menopause. The process may go unnoticed till a bone breaks.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the commonest chronic disorder involving the joints. It is also called degenerative arthritis as it is related to the ageing process. In normal life, joint surface is covered with soft and very smooth bone that is called cartilage. In normal health it provides elastic tissue or padding in joints that act as a smooth cushioning material inside joints, and prevents bones from rubbing together with friction-free movement of the joints

Muscular dystrophy (MD)

Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of genetic diseases characterised by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal or voluntary muscles which control movement. The muscles of the heart and some other involuntary muscles are also affected in some forms of MD, and a few forms involve other organs as well.

Myasthenia gravis

Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness and rapid fatigue of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. The name myasthenia gravis, which is Latin and Greek in origin, literally means "grave muscle weakness."