Diseases We Treat: Breast Cancer
Understanding, Diagnosing, and Treating Breast Cancer Holistically
About Breast Cancer
Breast cancer stands as the second most prevalent cancer among women in the United States, surpassed only by skin cancer. Each year, approximately 250,000 American women are diagnosed with this disease. This type of cancer primarily develops from cells in the ducts or lobes of the breast, with ductal tumors being more common. These cells undergo mutations, causing them to divide excessively or survive longer than normal, eventually forming a mass or tumor. Women with a family history of breast cancer are at a heightened risk, with a first-degree relative’s diagnosis potentially quadrupling the risk.
Signs and Symptoms
Breast cancer can manifest through various signs and symptoms, including changes in the breast or nipple’s texture and appearance. The most common symptom is a lump in the breast or armpit, particularly in the upper outer quadrant of the breast. Other symptoms can include swelling, tenderness, or skin texture changes. Some women may experience nipple discharge. However, many women do not exhibit any of these signs before diagnosis, and their cancer is detected during a routine mammogram.
Types of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer can be categorized into different clinical types, including:
- Inflammatory: synchronous, metachronous
- Morphological: ductal, lobular, metaplastic
- Immunohistochemical: triple-negative, hormone receptor-positive, Her 2 positive
Breast Cancer Diagnosis
The diagnostic process for breast cancer involves various methods such as:
- Physical and Exploratory Exam: A thorough examination of the breasts to detect any abnormalities.
- Mammography: This technique identifies tissue abnormalities by evaluating their detailed characteristics.
- Ultrasound: Utilizes sound waves to create images of deep structures and assess whether a breast nodule is a solid mass or a benign lesion.
- Biopsy: The only definitive method to diagnose breast cancer, helping to understand the tumor’s precise characteristics.
- MRI: Employed for special clinical conditions, it creates images of breast tissue without using radiation.
Holistic Medicine for Breast Cancer
At our institute, we employ integrative interventions to bolster the body’s ability to combat breast cancer and manage the side effects of conventional treatments. These interventions encompass proper nutrition, supplementation, and innovative therapies such as:
- Autologous Cellular Therapies
- Systemic Perfusion Hyperthermia
- Dendritic Enhancer Treatments
These therapies facilitate the patient’s journey towards healing by supporting and enhancing the primary cancer therapies’ effects, preventing cancer recurrence, and increasing survival rates.
Common Integrative Treatments
Some of the prevalent integrative treatments used in treating breast cancer patients include:
- Immunotherapy: Aims to enhance the body’s natural ability to detect and eliminate cancer cells by stimulating the immune system’s natural defenses and providing new avenues to attack cancer. This includes pharmacological immunotherapy, which utilizes drugs to stimulate the immune system to work harder or smarter to attack cancer cells.
- Dendritic Enhancer: Utilizes T-cell modulators to educate the immune cells to recognize specific antigens, like malignant breast cells, enhancing the immune system’s strategies against cancer.
- Hyperthermia: Directly treats a tumor using heat or increases the vulnerability of cancer cells to other treatments such as immunotherapy, B17, vitamin C, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy.
- Glutathione: A vital antioxidant that prevents cellular damage and plays a significant role in removing and detoxifying carcinogens.
- Selenium: An essential mineral that plays a critical role in maintaining a healthy immune system. It has been found to have potential protective effects against certain cancers, including breast cancer, by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, which are linked to cancer development.
- Nutrition: A customized diet plan to enhance the immune system’s healing ability and cater to the patient’s current and long-term nutritional needs.
- Vitamins and Supplements: Including vitamin C, which has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality.
Through our holistic approach, we strive to put our patients on the path to healing, offering them a beacon of hope and a chance for a healthier future.