Category: Health

‘Historic’ breast cancer drug move

Breast cancer drug tamoxifen recommended for ‘high risk’ women

By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online

Eluned Hughes, Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says women should consider their options carefully

Women in England and Wales with a robust family history of breast cancer might be offered medication at the NHS to aim to forestall the disease.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence has launched a consultation on whether tamoxifen is perhaps given for as much as five years.

If approved later this year, the draft guidelines may be the first in their kind within the UK.

Charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer welcomed the “exciting, historic step”.

NICE says not enough is being done to aid healthy but high-risk women, who include women with a sister and a mother or aunt diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of fifty.

Taking tamoxifen for 5 years could cut their very own risk of the disease.

Breast cancer is the most typical cancer inside the UK, with about 50,000 women and 400 men diagnosed with the condition once a year.

Associated risks

Most cases occur accidentally and with increasing age.

But having a family history of breast or ovarian cancer can significantly increase the chance of developing breast cancer and at a younger age, although most girls with a relative with breast cancer aren’t at a substantially increased risk themselves.

NICE says under 1% of girls over 30 fall into the high-risk category.

The new draft guidelines for England and Wales, which might update recommendations made by NICE in 2006, apply to those women and concentrate on areas of care where new evidence have been published, inclusive of using tamoxifen as a preventative treatment.

Based on research findings, experts estimate that for each 1,000 women given tamoxifen, there will be 20 fewer breast cancers.

But this will must be balanced against the hazards related to taking the drug, equivalent to blood clots.

Currently, both tamoxifen and raloxifene, an identical breast cancer drug, aren’t licensed for this indication inside the UK, although they’re in any other countries.

Final NICE guidance is predicted this summer.

‘Complex causes’

Professor Mark Baker, director of the centre for clinical practice at NICE, said: “The causes of cancer are complex and never fully known.

“However, we do know that having a family history of breast, ovarian or a related cancer can significantly increase the danger of developing breast cancer, including developing the cancer at a younger age.

“It’s also much more likely that folks with kinfolk tormented by cancer who then develop breast cancer themselves could develop a separate tumour within the other breast following initial treatment.

“For the reason that it’s wise for anyone with a family history of cancer to receive appropriate investigations and screening that might preferably be unnecessary if a family history didn’t exist.”

Chris Askew, chief executive of the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: “This draft guideline represents a historic step for the prevention of breast cancer – it’s the first time drugs have ever been recommended for reducing breast cancer risk within the UK.

“It is exciting as, even supposing most girls wouldn’t have a major family history of the disease, it’s crucial that people who do have an array of options to aid them control their risk.”

She urged women with concerns about their family history of breast cancer to chat to their doctor.

What do vasovasostomy specialists do?

At a certain point in life, some men decide to undergo vasectomy. Many of them take this option for many reasons but the major reason is to do family planning. Though it is seen as a permanent solution, there comes a time when they desire to reverse their decision or desire to sire another child. This requires them to visit a surgeon in order to carry out an operation with the aim of reversing vasectomy. Vasovasostomy specialists can be of great help to help you decide and understand the process much easily.
During the operation, the urologist will attempt to reattach the two pieces of the vas deferens that had been tied so as to restore fertility. However, the success of this operation depends on many factors. There have been a number of such successful operations and men have been able to conceive again.
The male reproductive system has testis which are responsible for creating sperm cells. Sperms mature in the epididymis ready for ejaculation during sexual intercourse. When a male is about to ejaculate, the sperms travel from the epididymis through tubes called the Vas deferens. In these tubes, they mix with other secretions to form semen. The semen is ejected from the body through the urethra.
Basically when one undergoes a vasectomy the surgeon severs each of the vasa deferentia and ties them off. Most people see it as a permanent form of birth control but it can be reversed due to desire to have more children or after losing a child. It can also be due to marriage.
Vasovasostomy is the most common form of vasectomy reversal. During the operation the patients are required to remain still as any movement can hamper the surgery. To prevent this, the patient usually receives general anesthesia. There are other things that are carried out to determine whether one shall undergo a normal surgery or it will warrant a more advanced surgery known as vasoepididymostomy.  Vasovasostomy specialists can help you know more about this.
To determine which kind of operation that will be given to any person, the surgeon will take a sample fluid contained in the vas deferens on the side closest to the epididymis by making an incision on the side of the scrotum. When the sample is clear and contains sperms the operation continues normally. A vasoepididymostomy will only be done if the fluid is cloudy or does not contain any sperms. It is also an indication that the vas deferens or epididymis is blocked.
Vasoepididymostomy involves taking the closest vas deferens to the urethra and attaching it directly to the epididymis.  If the sample fluid is good, the scar tissue will be removed at both ends of the vas deferens and the urologist stitches them together. It takes about 2-4 hours to carry out this operation and most of the patients usually go home the same day.
The patients are required to abstain from sexual intercourse and any rigorous activities for about four weeks. It may fail due to a number of reasons such as the length of time from when the original vasectomy was done, failure of the doctor to create a watertight seal between the two pieces of the vas deferens among others. Vasovasostomy specialists will also advice you not to anticipate a lot as it takes about 2-3 months before sperms appear in semen.

Why You Need to Visit Your Local Dentists and Get CQR Dentures

One of the biggest breakthroughs in the dental profession over the last century has been the discovery of CQR dentures. The medical professional has really never understood the exact manner in which the human jaws function. Therefore, most of the past research works have been quite general. CQR dentures, however, come with a unique ability of recording the biting pattern of an individual, which can then be used on their new dentures. To get the best services, you will, however, need dentist Leicester residents can trust.
There are numerous lifestyle and health benefits that come with wearing CQR dentures. Moreover, you will have improved confidence in your smile, as the dentures are well-fitting and quite effective. This comes with an increased range of foods that one can eat, as chewing abilities of the individual will be able to accommodate foods such as lettuce, peanuts and even steak.
Ordinary dentures can make an individual feel and even look older than they actually are and may restrict the pleasures of eating efficiently and talking with ease. CQR dentures can, however, resolve many of the difficulties caused by common dentures and help an individual experience a new quality of life. Therefore, you can pay a visit to a dentist who can help you get rid of your current dentures.
If you have lost a tooth or teeth, you now have a more reliable and efficient option. You can ask around or browse the intent for the best dentists Leicester residents would recommend and pay them a visit. You will then have an analysis done on your jaws and dental formula. The results will then be used to construct a denture that can meet your specific lifestyle and chewing habits.
This is indeed a revolutionary concept that can help you gain your abilities to taste and eat foods that you have not been able to eat. Moreover, you will have improved digestion as a result of the improved ability to chew food. With the increased range of diet, you will also boast of improved nutrition.
CQR dentures help individuals laugh better and enjoy their social life without limitations. They promise greater confidence, greater enjoyment of foods and improved well-being. This, therefore, presents an excellent opportunity for people who care about their health and social life but are facing the challenges of a missing tooth or teeth.
The benefits that come with CQR dentures, however, are not limited to lifestyle and health alone. There are also practical advantages that you stand to enjoy by fitting these innovative prosthetic devices. You will have reduced sore spots and enjoy the reduced necessity for denture fixative as well as reduced necessity for ulcer gels.
It is advisable to get reliable CQR dentists Leicester residents approve of as it will guarantee quality of services. If you have been experiencing speech problems as a result of the prosthetic devices you have been using, you do not have to worry anymore as you now have a better option. Take some time to visit the nearest dentist or dental specialist and get you missing tooth or conventional denture replaced.

Vasectomy Reversals – What you need to know

There are different methods of family planning used in the world today. Many of them target women. It is however good to note that vasectomy is one of the most common methods that gives the man an opportunity to decide whether or not they want to have a baby. Everyone knows that situations change and you may actually want to reverse the changes if you eventually decide that you want a child. In such cases, you will need to undergo vasectomy reversals.

Important Things to Note before Undergoing Vasectomy Reversals

Before you decide to reverse the situation, it is vital to analyze the case in an effort to determine your chances of success. It would be futile and unreasonable to spend so much time and money on the surgical procedure if you will not be able to regain your fertility after all. Although there are high chances of success already recorded over the years, you need to understand that each case is different.

It has been established that chances of successful vasectomy reversals diminish based on the number of years between the reversal date and the time the actual vasectomy was conducted. It is advisable to undertake the procedure within a period of ten years. As the years continue to elapse, your chances of regaining fertility reduce further.

Other Factors That Could Impede Your Chances of Success

Besides the gap between the time you undergo vasectomy and the point of reversal, there are cases of men who develop antibodies that make them unable to fertilize any more. The good news is that tests can be carried out to determine whether you have developed any antibodies to your own sperm that can inhibit your chances of impregnating a woman. All hope is not lost though even if it is established that you actually have developed the said antibodies.

How Long Does The Procedure Take?

Contrary to assumptions that any surgical procedure will force the patient to remain in hospital for some days, vasectomy reversals are actually outpatient procedures under ordinary circumstances. The process can be successfully performed within a span of two to four hours. You therefore do not have to take long leaves from your regular activities to undergo the process.

The other common concern for many is the pain that may be involved. This should not worry anyone because the surgeon will use aesthetics to numb the pain so that you can sleep throughout the process. Once the doctors are done, you should be able to get up and go home in another two to three hours. It is however worth noting that you may feel a tinge of pain which will gradually subside and disappear completely within the next three weeks.

How Soon Can You Resume Regular Activities After Operation?

If all the surgical procedures are performed as expected without any complications, any patient should be able to recover fully and regain their general activities within three weeks from the date of treatment.