is there a cure for cancer?

Question 1
is there a cure for cancer?...  

Answers
1)   yes... my cousin had cancer, now he doesnt, but my auntie had cancer, and she died because of it.
somtimes it works, sometimes it doesnt - *Nikki*

2)   obviously not. - ntloswell

3)   Not really. many cancers can be treated and cured with surgery, but not all of them are caught early enough or are operable. If surgery is not an option, some are cured with radiation or drug therapy, but many are not. The long term goal of cancer research is not a "cure for cancer" but the ability to know how to treat many of the various types of cancer, so that it becomes a stable chronic disease, like diabetes. - Laurent

4)   There are treatments, and there are even some highly effective treatments. I hesitate to use the word cure.

I have read a number of articles that suggest that certain viruses or bacteria cause many cancers. If that is so, it may be possible one day to vaccinate against it. But remember that cancer, like colds, isn't just one disease: It's a whole group of them, so a treatment that works for one kind of cancer might not for another.

Good luck! - Tigger

5)   yes. cancer is curable.
but cancer is of various types. it is possible to comment only when full details are available - Chiranjeevi

6)   Is there one cure for all infections?
Cancer is a catch all term for 200 plus very different diseases.
Many are curable today - especially in the early stages.
Ask Lance Armstrong.
There will never be one cure for all of these different diseases.
It is like asking when there will be an immortality pill. - Spreedog

7)   1st stage it can be cured but from stage 2 its really difficult and from stage 3 its impossible. - Gabriel


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Question 2
what is the most affective way to treat breast cancer?...  doing a science project in your opinion what is the best or most affective way to treat breast cancer

Answers
1)   The most effective way to treat breast cancer is surgery. If the tumor can not be cured by surgery, there are many other treatments, but none of these work as well as surgery, statistically speaking. This is one reason why it is so important to screen for breast cancer with self-exams and mammography, we need to catch these tumors early enough that surgery is the best option. - Laurent

2)   "Laurent" is right. Surgery. Surgery performed early in the course of the disease.
That is why screening is so important.
And the word is "effective." You probably knew that - just a typo. - Spreedog

3)   It all depends on the type of cancer. age of the patient, extent of spread in nearby structures or distant organs at the time of diagnosis and patients will and some other factors.
different modalities used are;

Chemotherapy..means treatment by cytotoxic drugs.

Radiotherapy:Destroying the cancerous cells by radio wave

Surgery:Include excision of the lump alone or partial mastectomy or complete mastectomy(excision of whole breast)or complete mastectomy and removal of regional lymph nodes.

Hormone Therapy; Treating the cancer by hormones

for details of all these choices click the link below
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/283561-treatment - itsme

4)   A bullet. It is the universal cure, and can solve any problem. - SLPR

5)   Surgery without a doubt. I don't understand why women with breast cancer don't do it and opt for chemo. Just yesterday I heard about a woman who has been battling breast cancer for 7 yrs. That's absurd. Why she is putting herself through all this chemo and radiation is beyond me when she could have a mastectomy and be done with it. I don't understand that. Are women so hung up on keeping their breast that they would risk their life like that? There's always reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy. So, for me, it's surgery. Good luck with your science project. - Memere RN/BA

6)   First mamography, then by surgery if its intial stage then radiation if required. - Gabriel


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Question 3
can milk ducts last more than a week? i am 26 and brest feeding.i have lump in my left brest.can it be cancer?...  hi i am 26 year old female.i have 7 weeks old baby. i am brest feeding at the moment.2 weeks ago i noticed lump in my left brest.doctors said it could be milk duct.lump is still there.my dad's sister has brest cancer.could that lump be sign of brest cancer.and if its a milk duct how long do they last? lump is not painfull im still feeding my baby from that side. lump is not rock hard. i am worried if its a cancer lump.pls give me any advise you can. thanks

Answers
1)   Safe is always better than sorry. =) I'd still go get it checked out if I were you and while you're there maybe ask about ways to tell the difference between the two for future reference so you don't have to go through a scare like that again. Good luck to you! - Amanda ♥

2)   Go get a mammogram right away.
You can also make sure you are starting on that side every time you breast feed and squeeze gently as you are emptying the milk to make sure that you get a chance to really move the milk foreward and out.
Don't let fear paralyze you, your baby needs you. The chances of benign lumps, blocked ducts and small scars are bigger than cancer but go get that mammogram, even if you never intend to be able to pay. It will at least clear your mind to know you are doing what you should to stay healthy.
Keep breastfeeding.
I'd bring the baby to the mammography center to help keep the breast emty so it will hurt less when they squeeze to get a picture, plus they'll get right to you knowing you have a baby depending on you. - pattyjo1999

3)   statistically speaking it isn't cancer. Of course we cannot tell you that, so the prudent course is to get it checked out. Sounds to me though that you have plugged milk ducts. Very common, my wife had them too. - dermdoc

4)   Its the first sign for breast cancer. My wife 24yrs had the same problem and we didnt have any idea and when we found out we started chemo now its too late, latest PET Scan reports shows her full body is affected, she lies without medicine just waiting to die any moment, leaving two kids son 2 yrs and daughter 1 yr. I would suggest you to stop breast feeding, and immidiately visit an oncologist and go for Mamography. Its better to kill the pain before something bad happens, u can also go for the PET CT Scan its perfect way, its can shows even a single cancer cell in your body though its costly i think its the best examination for cancer. Any help required you can mail me anytime. Please do not delay the treatment or you can suffer like me and my wife. - Gabriel

5)   "Caller #3" has it right- it is most likely a clogged milk duct. Look up MASTITIS on WebMD. Drink plenty of fluids and breast feed often to try and flush that duct open. You can also apply hot compresses to the area. It that lumpy spot gets painful, enlarged and/or hot- see the doc because it could be the clogged duct got infected and caused an abscess. - embi40

6)   Your doctor is almost certainly right.

Most breast lumps aren't cancer (over 80% of breast lumps investigated are benign), and you are more likely than usual to be undergoing hormonal changes.

Breast cancer is extremely unlikely at your age; fewer than 0.1% of all those diagnosed with breast cancer are under 30, and only 5% are under 40. Most (80%) are over 50; when I was diagnosed I was classed as a 'younger woman'; I was 50.

Hereditary breast cancer is rare; only 5 - 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary, and breast cancer diagnosed after the age of 50 is even less likely to be hereditary. A single case of breast cancer in your family doesn't suggest heredity; a sign that breast cancer MAY be hereditary within a family is when several members of the same side of that family have had it, especially if some have developed it at a younger than usual age.

With one in eight women developing breast cancer, it isn't unusual to have one, two or more women in the same extended family with non-hereditary breast cancer.

Monitor he lump, and talk to your doctor again if it persists; bear in mind though how very unlikely it is that you have breast cancer.

Someone has urged yu to have a mammogram; in fact a mammogram is very unlikely to be ordered on a woman your age - younger women's breast tissue is to dense for mammograms to be a useful diagnostic tool.

By the way, having children before the age of 30 and breastfeeding both offer a degree of protection against breast cancer - having no children or having them later in life, and never having breastfed, are recognised breast cancer risk factors. - lo_mcg


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Question 4
Any Chances for Last stage of Cancer?...  My wife age 24yrs suffering from breast cancer. Treatment was being done at CMC Vellore, after 6th cycle of chemo they wanted to do surgery but i took her to Kolkata Apollo to Dr.Saikat Gupta and he sugessted to go for a PET CT Scan which has recently been introduced in Kolkata, after the results came out he sugessted that its too late now, cancer has affected brain,spinal cord,breast,liver lungs,kidney. Still we went for oral chemo, now she is on her death bed just waiting to die, is there any way that can I can keep her atleast for some more time? We have two kids son 2yrs and daughter 1 yr. She rarely recognises any1 now, any1 have any idea of any sort of medicine plz mail me.

Answers
1)   My condolences to you- I can't imagine the pain and suffering you and your kids are going through. But even more, I can't imagine the pain and suffering your wife is experiencing. Although it is hard to let go of a loved one, I think you need to say goodbye to your wife. To keep her around for a "while longer" for your benefit is selfish and cruel. It is time for her to go. Contact a hospice organization if you aren't already dealing with one- they can provide you and your wife with just the type of care and support you guys need right now. - embi40

2)   Sorry to hear that.
Unfortunately at this stage the only thing you can do is to pray from your God.
I will also pray for her and request everyone who reads your question to pray for your wife. - itsme

3)   I am so sorry to hear that. At least you have two beautiful kids which will help keep her memory alive. Just be with her and let nature take its cause - T

4)   I'm so very sorry for you & your family. A cousin of mine died from ovarian cancer this past summer. Her husband tried everything he could; just like you. I was a Hospice nurse. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there is anything else you can do. You gave it the best effort you could. At this point you can see that she is as comfortable as possible, & let her know that you love her, will take care of the children, & tell her not be afraid to go to Heaven. Get some help from family & friends to help you all get through this. Your wife wouldn't want you & the children to suffer. - April

5)   I am so sorry you have to go through this Cancer is the craziest and scariest thing. I admire you for still fighting and not giving up on her. I don't know much specifics about this, but there are alot of of holistic/natural ways of treating cancer that doesn't really get much media or acknowledgment by doctors. Mainly because it's a big money game and they are still doing research on them. But if she is in her last stages, would it hurt to try drugs that are in the experimental stage? There is a periwinkle flower that holds the cure for a type of leukimea. I believe all the cures for cancer we can find in nature. Best of luck to you and your family. And stay strong for everyone, especailly your children. Remember that you need to take care of yourself too and it's okay NOT to be strong all the time. I'll be praying for your wife. - justjawni


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Question 5
Do I have the swine flu, normal flu, cold, or something else?...  I am really tired for some reason and I'm sweating but am freezing. I have a minor fever and dry cough and I have a stomach ache. Help please!

Answers
1)   The symptoms of swine flu are the same as the usual flu, there is no way to tell them apart unless you get tested. Have to say, stomach ache isnt really a symptom of the flu so my guess would be "something else" - hca

2)   Who knows! Best thing to do, as long as your condition remains "mild", is treat your symptoms. Tylenol and ibuprofen for fever and body aches, throat lozenges for dry cough. Drink plenty of fluids and rest, and if possible stay home so you don't spread your germs around, no matter what the cause is. If your fever gets worse, contact your doc and see if they want you to come in to be tested for H1N1 or not. - embi40

3)   swine flu is something you catch if you are easily brainwashed by global strategy plans of letting everyone think that a vaccine is needed in their body. (in latin: pandemic dementia frenzy)
You only have strong symptoms of a bad flu starting up, perhaps also some female issues, so keep warm, save energies, stay home if possible, go to bed early and take aspirins. - Jay

4)   I would have to say you have swine flu or the normal flu. Some swine flu cases have been reported with stomach troubles. I suggest seeing a doctor sooner rather than later. - Mallory


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