Male patients frequently possess a poor knowledge of prostate cancer, their own chances for the cancer, and how to determine whether they have it. Many men have little, if any, knowledge of the advantage of screening for prostate cancer or of the guidelines for when to start screening, how frequently to screen, and the meaning of screening test results. They put their confidence in their physician to do whatever is appropriate to detect any cancer early and cure them.

Delayed diagnosis of cancer of the prostate incidents are all too common. One typical medical mistake that is at the root of these cases arises when the male patient’s primary care physician (1) actually screens the individual for prostate cancer by tracking the amount of PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) in his system, (2) finds abnormally high levels of PSA and but (3) does not inform the patient, does not refer the patient to a specialist, and fails to get a biopsy to confirm whether the elevated PSA is a result of cancer of the prostate. The reported lawsuit discussed below illustrates this situation.

A physician, an internist, discovered that his male patient had a PSA of 8. (anything above a 4.0 is normally viewed as high). The physician did not inform the patient. The physician did not refer the patient to a urologist. The doctor did not order a biopsy. Two years later the doctor repeated the PSA test. This time it had gone up to 13.6. Again, the doctor said nothing to the patient. Again, the doctor did not refer the patient to a urologist. And again, the physician did not order a biopsy. Two years later the doctor repeated the PSA test.

It was not until three years after first finding out about the patient’s elevated PSA level that the physician at last advised him that he probably had cancer. Further testing showed that at this point he had metastatic cancer. A prostatectomy was no longer an option. Treating physicians alternatively recommended radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Neither of these would cure the cancer but they might impede its advancement and further spread. The law firm handling this matter reported that the case proceeded to mediation and settled in the amount of $600,000.

But not following up after observing abnormal test results brings about a situation in which those patients who do actually have prostate cancer might not find out they have it until it has spread outside the prostate, decreasing the patient’s choices for treatment, and substantially reducing the chances that the patient will be able to survive the cancer.

As the above claim illustrates physicians sometimes comply with the guidelines by performing screening for cancer of the prostate yet when the test results are abnormal they fail to do anything about it.

Joseph Hernandez is a lawyer acceping medical malpractice cases. Learn more about prostate cancer cases at http://www.prostatecancerlaw.com

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Have you had chemotherapy? Since then, do you feel like you are in a mental fog? If so, you probably have chemo brain symptoms. Living with chemo brain symptoms can be very frustrating and debilitating. If you think you may have chemo brain symptoms, you may want to read on to find possible solutions.

Some chemo brain symptoms include:

- Forgetting recent events. Events you should remember.
- Forget multi tasking. If you try to do more than one thing, one of them gets lost.
- Everyday tasks, like paying bills, are now much more difficult.
- You are easily distracted. So things now take you three times longer to complete.
- Learning new things is much harder.
- Concentrating is difficult.
- Losing your train of thought in the middle of a conversation.
- Fumbling over words in the middle of a sentence.

These are the chemo brain symptoms reported the most.

Have you tried telling your family and friends yet? How about your employer? It’s hard to find the right words. They give you polite nods. But you know what they are thinking. Their forefinger is tracing circles near their temple.

Do you try to hide your chemo brain symptoms from your family, friends and employer? Trying to cover up your forgetfulness? Covering the humiliation of not remembering the promises you made? Trying to pretend you are normal. This takes a lot of energy. By the end of the day you are mentally and physically exhausted.

Do you have coping strategies and tactics to help you get through the day? Like keeping lists. Do you write everything down? Like grocery items, things to do, and doctors comments so that you can read them up later.

Do you have a system for putting your keys in the same place all the time so you can find them? How about the remote? Do you always remember you have a system to help you remember?

Do people get frustrated with you? With your inability to do things as you did before? Are you afraid you are going to lose your job? That’s a huge amount of weight and stress on your shoulders.

How long can you go on like this?

Wouldn’t it be grand if there was a way to put all that behind you? Imagine if you could get your mind back into the shape it was before chemo? Maybe even in better shape?

There are drugs you can take that may help you with your symptoms. Your doctor may be able to prescribe them for you. But what if you don’t want any more drugs?

There is another solution to help overcome chemo brain symptoms. It is a certain type of brain training.

I invite you to investigate brain training software that has helped others with chemo brain symptoms. Many have reported improvements in just a couple of weeks. I think you will be presently surprised at the progress you can make.

Thousands have trained their brains to think again? Why not you?

Learn how others have triumphed over chemo brain at http://www.chemobrain.info

Many report improvements in just a few weeks. Get relief now! You deserve it, don’t you think?

Imagine you are a male and you see your physician for your yearly checkup. Imagine the doctor orders blood tests, including a PSA test for the early detection of prostate cancer. So far, so good. This is the way to check whether a man without any symptoms of prostate cancer may in fact have it. Imagine the tests came back outside the normal range

Yet, there is still debate amid some doctors over the way to screen asymptomatic male patients for prostate cancer or whether to screen at all. They hold that screening has little, if any, value. If of a screening test is abnormal the patient needs to be informed about the results and either be referred to a specialist or be told about the option for diagnostic testing, like a biopsy. Once more, however, some doctors also believe that, at least under certain circumstances, a man diagnosed with prostate cancer does not have to undergo treatment right away and simply needs to carefully monitor the cancer.

If the doctor does not give the patient the option to undergo screening or does not tell the patient about the abnormal test results the patient’s prostate cancer may spread and metastasize without the man even knowing he may have cancer. Unfortunately, if a physician noted that the patient’s prostate was enlarged or there was a nodule on the gland and the PSA test results suggested abnormally high levels of the antigen and the physician did not notify the man of the abnormal results, the individual would in all likelihood assume that meant there was no need to follow up. If the patient does actually have cancer, not informing the patient that he may have cancer will postpone his diagnosis.

A delay might, in turn, give the cancer time to reach an advanced stage. Once a cancer metastasizes treatment will at best delay the progression of the cancer and lower the effects (like pain) of the cancer. Under such circumstances, that patient and his family might be able to pursue a failure to diagnose medical malpractice lawsuit against the physician.

Screening tests may have false positives. This means that certain patients with abnormal screening results will not have cancer. But doing screening tests for cancer is meaningless if there is no follow up as it gives the patient a false sense of security thinking that he has no cancer as the doctor tested him and said nothing to him that the tests demonstrated he might have cancer. Doctors generally concur that there is a need for follow up if the results of screening tests come back as abnormal.

Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney focused on catastrophic injury and medical malpractice cases. Learn more about metastatic prostate cancer cases at http://www.prostatecancerlaw.com

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Skin cancer, although it appears small can be quite deadly if it’s not caught on time. As for how it grows, the cancer develops when DNA is damaged beyond repair. The cells that are damaged then develop and split at a rate that is. Uncontrollable when this damage happens in the skin and the cells grow and separate uncontrollably, the cancer is the result. The damaged cells will continue to multiply and that will cause a tumor.

The cancer generally develops in the epidermis, which is the outermost layer. That is why the skin cancer tumor is generally quite visible. This is why that type of cancer is generally detectable in the early stages.

Sun exposure appears to be the main cause why skin cancer develops. The American Cancer Society has declared that most of the 1 million cases of occurences that are diagnosed every year could be prevented with proper sun ray protection. It’s the UV rays from the sun that causes DNA to become damaged.

The body is such an amazing machine that it can generally repair this DNA damage, but there’s a time in which that repair may not take place. Cumulative sun exposure can cause this and after lead to skin cancer. This is why a few persons don’t develop the condition until thirty or forty years after they’ve had the extensive sun exposure.

What do the different types of skin cancer look like?
There are different types of the anomalies that a person can acquire. There are actually 3 main types. These three types account for all of the cases of skin cancer. What makes them different is the fact that these 3 cancers begin in different cells. This is how each cancer gets their name; they’re named based on the cell that they develop from. It’s also important to note that there are 2 classes of skin cancers. The 1st class is nonmelanoma and the 2d is melanoma. Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer.

Here are the 3 different types:

* Basal Cell Carcinoma – This is the most common form of cancer. More than 1 million people in the U.S. develop this form of cancer, which also means around 80% of all skin cancers are of this type.

* Squamous Cell Carcinoma – This type of skin cancer accounts for around 16% of all cases. The cancer begins in the squamous cell, which are the cells that are found in the upper layer of the epidermis. About 200,000 people are diagnosed with this every year. Those individuals who are most susceptible are those that have fair skin and are middle-aged or elderly and have had extensive sun exposure in the past.

Causes:
1. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
2. Sunburn.
3. Heredity.
4. Environment (Cloud cover).

Symptoms:
1. Change in a wart or mole.
2. Red, tender, flat spot that bleeds easy.
3. Small, fleshy blow with a smooth, pearly appearing.
4. Shiny bump that may look like a mole or cyst.
5. Skin growth that looks like a wart.
6. Patch of skin that feels scaly, bleeds, or develops a crust.

Treatment:
Most skin cancers can be treated by removal of the lesion, making sure that the edges (margins) are free of tumor cells. The excisions allow for the better cure for both early and high-risk disease. Radiation therapy and cryotherapy (freezing the cancer off) can allow for adequate control of the disease; both, however, have lower total cure ranges than surgery.

Moh’s Microsurgery is a process where the cancer is removed with the smallest amount of surrounding tissue and the edges checked directly to see if tumor is found. Chemotherapy, drugs are used to kill cancer cells. For cancers limited to the top layer of skin, creams or lotions containing anti-cancer agents may be applied directly to the skin. Other types of chemotherapy can be used to treat disease that has spread to other parts of the body.

Seomul Evans is a search engine optimization specialist for SEO 1 Services links

http://www.seo-1-marketing-services.com

http://www.skincaretreated.com

http://www.callmd.com/skin-care/

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Skin cancer is a different basic type of cancer. As the name advises, the disease is a malignant condition of skin. There are 3 types of skin cancers: common cell, squalors cell, and the serious malignant melanoma. As skin cancer is very closely assorted to skin pigmentation, the average skinned people are a lot at danger of acquiring skin cancer as compared to the dark color people.

Skin cancer is the most treatable of all types, and the solutions of treatment are almost positive. This year, there are anticipated to be million fresh cases of these occurences named, but only 1,000 deaths are anticipated that are stimulated by the disease. So you will be able to see that even whenever you’re diagnosed with the disease, your odds is 1,000 to 1 that you’ll fight with the disease. Those are terrifying odds!

Skin cancer is treated with align of operations that are depending on the demand of the individual patient. Advance spotting and removal is the best opportunity for a cure. The most effective defense against it is to avert across exposure to sunlight (admitting tanning), which is the important cause of skin cancer, particularly when it effects in sunburn and blistering. Everybody experiences that we’re facing problem of ultraviolet rays due to dropping off ozone layer in our atmosphere

Easy methods to cope With Skin Cancer Side Effects

However, there’s nothing to scare as logical reference with your healthcare team can heal a few of these side effects and could also treat them.
Here are a few great hints to cope with certain side effects people may face during the treatment of skin cancer:

a) You are able to easily cope with skin rash* and itching by powdering your body with corn flour.

b) Take regular shower bath* and apply a moisturizing soap to take over dry diseases of the skin. You must avoid long warm baths. Hot baths only necessity when you’re with an oatmeal treatment.

c) It wouldn’t be wise apply any products on your skin. The products you must avert must include cologne, perfume, after-shave and all products bearing alcohol. These products can dry away your skin. Also avert applying all types of astringents including witch hazel.

d) Inform your doctor at once about whatever pain or burning sensation on your skin while on IV drugs. Pain or burning sensation is an indication that medicine is leaking away the veins.

e) Ask your doctor whether you will be able to take B-complex vitamin* to deal with briskly or darkened finger or toe nails. You’ll be able to also protect your nails by wearing suitable gloves or foot wear when working or gardening.

f) You need to take sure precaution when going outside, once you find yourself allergic to sunlight. Wear good sunscreen, wear caring clothing. Also use lip ointments to cope with this side effects.

g) Keep visiting an oncologist or skin doctor about your progress during the treatment.

h) You should avoid bronzing beds and infrared lamp* at bronzing beauty parlor*. The ultraviolet ray bulging out of these infrared lamp* (UV-A rays) can easily infiltrate in to the skin deeper as equated to UV-B rays that come from sunlight.

i) Take appends for vitamin A or D. Try using dairy products enriched with vitamin A and D.

j) Ask for certain creams and moisturizers that possibly effective against the dryness imputable skin cancer treatment.

k) Keep your face neat and dry if you are suffering from acne due to skin cancer treatment. Ask your doctor in charge to dictate you some medicinesd ointments or soaps for the same.

l) Forever use cream and lotion when your skin is still damp to fight dryness.

m) A colloid oatmeal bath or diphenhydramine for popularized honors’ ensuing from the treatment of skin cancer.

n) Buy nail-strengthening products.

o) Avoid going out in the sunlight between 10: 00 a.m. and 4: 00 p.m.

p) Always wear long-sleeve cotton shirts, pants and hats with a broad brim. These hats will assist you to aim a few reliefs from hair loss by barring the harmful ultraviolet sun rays.

q) Keep informing your doctor about whatever troubles that you face during the skin cancer treatment.

Seomul Evans is a search engine optimization specialist for SEO 1 Services links

http://www.seo-1-marketing-services.com

http://www.skincaretreated.com

http://www.callmd.com/skin-care/

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You may think you are going crazy. Not sure what is happening? You are losing your mind. Are you losing your mind? Maybe. But rest assured. You can get it back again. After reading this article, you will recognize if you are experiencing chemo brain symptoms. You will also get a possible solution that has helped thousands.

Not all medical professionals recognize chemo brain symptoms as real. So patients aren’t always told about this side effect. Chemotherapy pumps toxic chemicals into your body. The purpose is to kill cells. So why is it so hard to believe it would affect brain cells?

Discussing the issue with others may produce various answers. “It couldn’t possibly be the chemo because it doesn’t cross the blood barrier.” “We are all getting old, dear.” And other such dismissive responses. It can be very frustrating. These responses do nothing to help your problem.

More and more research is being done on the topic, so we can expect improved medical responses. Hopefully the controversy will die down soon. Hopefully the future will contain less people surprised by chemo brain symptoms.

Part of the reason it’s controversial is because not every chemo patient gets chemo brain symptoms. There are a wide range of symptoms. Each sufferer experiences different levels of each symptom. Some symptoms last a short time, while for others it takes years to shake off.

If any of the following were not present before chemo, you probably have chemo brain symptoms:

Memory. Short term memory is gone. There are memory lapses. A Lot of time is spent hunting for keys, remote, glasses, cell phone, etc.

Concentration. Easily distracted, cannot focus. Cannot read a book for any length of time.

Multi-tasking. When trying to do multiple things at once, you lose track of one of them. Like cooking and talking on the phone at the same time.

Word Recall. Words may elude you in the middle of a sentence. Another word might come out in place of another.

Slower Thinking. It takes you longer to do things than before. You used to be able to pick-up new things quickly, now you struggle.

These are some of the chemo brain symptoms people have reported. This greatly reduces your quality of life. By the end of the day you are left exhausted and frustrated.

But you can be made whole again. You can get your brain back. The brain you had before chemo. Many have reported improvements in just a few short weeks.

The right brain training can make you even sharper than before you had chemo brain symptoms.

Investigate brain training software that has helped others with chemo brain symptoms. Using these methods will change your life. You will not regret it.

Can you train your brain to think again? Thousands have. Why not you?

Many report improvements in just a few weeks.

By going to the following website, you will learn how others have triumphed over chemo brain.

http://www.chemobrain.info

For many, chemo brain symptoms are the hidden cost of beating cancer. Your doctor says they can prescribe drugs that may help. Maybe. But what if you’ve had enough with pumping chemicals into your body? What if you are taking more drugs than you care to already? What if you are worried about interactions with other medications? Are there alternatives?

You have just been through a life-changing, emotionally draining experience. Now you are experiencing chemo brain symptoms. No matter what reason you don’t want to take drugs to help your chemo brain symptoms, you can get help. You are not out of luck. Nor are you alone.

Chemo brain symptoms can be crippling. Chemo brain’s symptoms take away your ability to think clearly and perform normal day to day actives. What used to come naturally is now a chore. When you cannot concentrate long enough to pay your bills and balance your checkbook, life gets very hard.

An accountant who can now only fumble with numbers. A consultant who can’t follow up or remember promises made any longer. They are in fear of losing their jobs.

A lot of time is wasted looking for where you placed items. Like your car keys. Your cell phone.

This can be devastating to someone who was successful and intelligent. That was BC. Before Chemo.

Doctors don’t all agree that chemo brain exists. Or they don’t think it’s a result of chemotherapy. While others do believe it not only exists, but it’s a side effect of chemotherapy.

But then, who cares?

No matter what the cause, whether anyone else believes in the condition, you need help and a solution. One that doesn’t involve taking more drugs.

I’ve got Good news! I’m happy to tell you that there are thousands who have gotten relief through certain brain training exercises.

Thousands have successfully gotten their brain back. They have cleared their way out of the fog using brain training.

It’s not going to come as a surprise to you to tell you that not all brain training exercises are equal.

What if you could train your brain using the same methods others have successfully used to relieve their chemo brain symptoms? Seems like you would have a good chance to get back to normal too. Wouldn’t you think?

I urge you to investigate brain trainers that have helped others with this same condition. Getting relief now! You deserve it, don’t you think?

Can you train your brain to think again? Thousands have. Why not you?

Many report improvements in just a few weeks.

By going to the following website, you will learn how others have triumphed over chemo brain.

http://www.chemobrain.info

This year about 14% of the one hundred ninety three thousand men identified as having prostate cancer will already have advanced prostate cancer at the time they are diagnosed. With screening, including digital examinations and PSA blood tests, a number of these individuals could have been diagnosed before the cancer progressed to an advanced stage. A lapse of time until the cancer is advanced not only limits the man’s treatment options but also significantly reduces his chances of surviving the cancer. Consider the following published malpractice claim as an example.

While doing a physical examination on a fifty-six year old male patient, a physician noted a small nodule on the left part of the prostate. The physician ordered a PSA test the results of which showed the level to be 3.1 – or within normal range. The doctor took no further action at the time. Almost 3 years passed. The physician once more performed a physical examination and documents that the prostate is normal. This time, the doctor does not order a PSA test.

The patient saw a different physician about six weeks later as part of an insurance mandated medical examination. This physician ordered a PSA test which comes back at 5.3 – high. The patient then contacted his regular physician’s practice and was told to return so they can do their own PSA test. This test returned a 3.5 – in normal range. The physician told the patient not to worry and that nothing else needed to be done.

Again, almost three years went by until the doctor next screened the patient. The doctor again records the nodule. The doctor then ordered a PSA test that registered at 4.7 – elevated. The doctor does not inform the individual and does nothing further regarding these 2 abnormal test results. Nearly two years later the physical examination reveals that the prostate not only had a nodule, but was firm on the side of the nodule and was enlarged. The PSA test now revealed that the leve had gone up to 14.1. This time, the doctor at last refers the patient to a Urologist who diagnoses the patient with metastatic prostate cancer that had gotten to the bones in his pubic area and the top portion of his right leg.

An action for medical malpractice followed during which the physician admitted that the existence of the nodule was an “abnormal” result. The law firm that helped the man and his wife reported that the matter settled in the amount of $850,000. This amount incorporated two hundred fifty thousand dollars for non-economic damages and two hundred fifty thousand dollars for the wife’s future wrongful death claim. This is the top amount that can be recovered for those claims under the controlling law.

Joseph Hernandez is a lawyer acceping catastrophic injury and medical malpractice cases. Learn more about prostate cancer cases at http://www.prostatecancerlaw.com

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Men tend to have a lack of awareness when it comes to issues surrounding prostate cancer, their own risk for the cancer, and the methods available for detecting whether they have prostate cancer. Many men have limited, if any, knowledge of the advantage of screening for prostate cancer or of the recommendations for when to commence testing, how often to screen, and the meaning of screening test results. They simply put their belief in their doctor to let them know what they should do to stay healthy.

Cases involving the delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer cases are all too common. This article will consider the following fact pattern: the physician (1)
screens the individual for prostate cancer by keeping track of the amount of PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) in his system, (2) notices abnormally raised levels of PSA and but (3) neither informs the patient of abnormal results (and what they suggest) nor orders diagnostic tests, for instance – a biopsy, to eliminate prostate cancer. Examine the following case, for instance:

In this reported case a man found out he had prostate cancer after he followed up when told by his internist that he most likely had cancer. The issue in this case was that the doctor did not tell the patient that he might have cancer until the third year of raised PSA test results. The year before the man’s PSA level had increased to 13.6. Two years prior to that it had been at 8.0 During these years the physician did nothing to rule out prostate cancer as the cause of these high readings and did not tell the patient about the abnormal test results or the possibility that he might have cancer. By the time he was diagnosed he had metastatic prostate cancer and surgery was not one of the treatment alternatives. Rather the man underwent radiation therapy and hormone

therapy in an attempt to slow down the further progression of the cancer. The law firm that took this matter on reported that the case proceeded to mediation and settled for $600,000.

If a doctor does not do anything in the presence of abnormal test results and the person subsequently finds out that he had prostate cancer all along and that the wait led to the cancer spreading outside the prostate gland, thus decreasing treatment alternatives that are available and lowering his chances of surviving the cancer, the person might be able to successfully pursue a malpractice lawsuit against the physician.

As the above lawsuit illustrates physicians sometimes follow the guidelines by performing screening for prostate cancer but when the test results are
abnormal they do not follow through.

Joseph Hernandez is an attorney acceping medical negligence matters. To request a free attorney consultation visit http://www.prostatecancerlaw.com/advanced-prostate-cancer.shtml

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Since skin reactions are a common side effect of radiation therapy, you will need to pay special attention to the skin area being irradiated while undergoing your course of treatment. Here are a few tips:

1. Select a good cream and use it consistently. Today, there are products made specifically for skin care during radiation. Your doctor or nurse may advise a specific cream or leave the choice up to you. With our product, we have found that people have the greatest success and the least skin side effects when they start early and use our one product exclusively and consistently throughout treatment.

It’s important to use a radiation cream regularly. And so, you may want to buy two or three smaller size tubes so you can keep one on your bedside table and put the other one in your purse or car. Having your radiation cream nearby at all times can make it easier for you to apply it throughout the day.

We recommend people start applying their radiation cream once or twice daily several days before beginning radiation. As soon as therapy begins, use the cream immediately following treatment and most importantly, again at bedtime. In the event your skin begins to react to the radiation, apply the cream more often. In some cases, it may be necessary to apply a radiation cream up to 5-6 times per day, each and every time the skin feels sensitive. Note that the skin area to be irradiated should be bare and dry for the treatment itself!

Once the course of therapy has ended, continue using your radiation cream for at least two weeks because the radiation keeps working and skin still needs to be cared for.

If the part of the body being treated is in an area that gets a lot of moisture or friction, such as the underarms, some people have found it helpful to apply their radiation cream first, and to follow up with a light dusting of corn starch.

2. Avoid sun exposure to treated area.

3. Wear only soft, loose, lightweight fabrics over the treatment area. If you are being treated for breast cancer, avoid bras that might chafe or irritate your skin.

4. Avoid artificial hot or cold packs. These can do further damage to delicate irradiated skin.

5. Check your skin at the treatment site every day and alert your nurse or doctor to any changes.

If your skin has reactions to your radiation treatment, they will usually go away within a few weeks. Be sure to consult with your care team if any condition lingers.

Sean E. Chavel is a contributing editor for http://www.jeanscream.com, a radiation cream for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Many chemo patients report mental impairment. Some estimates say as many as 50%. They notice it during and after chemo. The impairment was not present before chemo. Is there a link between chemotherapy and brain damage?

Chemo uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. The body is pumped full of toxins. This would likely cause some cognitive deficits. Mental impairment occurs more often in those treated for cancer involving the reproductive system. Examples are breast and prostate cancers. In these cancers, the chemo levels are very high.

Some call the mental impairment a mental fog. Some call this condition chemofog. The term chemo brain came about in 2004. The term describes the mental fog patients feel during and after chemo treatments.

Researchers have known about chemo brain for over twenty years. Since the 1980’s, there are a large number of breast cancer survivors. Many of them have reported symptoms. They started to suspect issues with chemotherapy and brain damage.

They were reporting problems they did not have prior to chemo. Problems with their memory. They were fumbling for words in the middle of sentences. They could not concentrate like before. They could not multi-task any longer. They were having a hard time learning new things. These are typical reports from a chemo brain sufferer. They were feeling half-crippled.

These symptoms lasted for a few weeks to years. Survivors reported different levels of each symptom.

Only recently have there been studies involving chemotherapy and brain damage. The medical profession did not understand the phenomenon. Doctors trivialized the condition for years.

The cause of chemo brain still is not clear. It is not clear how often it happens or what actually triggers it. Some theories are that stress, fatigue and depression causes the effects. Hormone changes, lack of estrogen.

When talking about chemotherapy and brain damage with patients, they have differing views. Some patients have extreme symptoms. Some notice no issues. They are not always sure if they have chemo brain or age-related issues. While other cannot notice a difference before chemo than after chemo.

Medical professionals also have conflicting views on chemotherapy and brain damage.

Some say that the link is real. They point to the large number of documented chemo brain cases. There are also a growing number of studies by researchers. These studies are showing that mental impairment after chemo is real. They are also showing that the impairment can last longer than two years.

In one study, researchers took brain scans of breast cancer survivors. They used chemo patients and patients who survived cancer through surgery. The study showed the brains of chemo patients had to work harder to perform the same tasks.

Others argue the stress of chemo could have an impact on mental function. They also cite reduced levels of estrogen, fatigue, and anxiety. These could all cause chemo brain symptoms. They also point to other medications. Chemo patients often take other drugs to treat chemo side effects.

Another study on chemotherapy and brain damage had a different conclusion. They discovered there might not be a link between chemotherapy and brain damage after all. This study evaluated the cognitive state of women before chemo. Thirty five percent of the women showed some level of mental impairment. Memory was impaired most often.

The conclusion was twofold. First, the cause of chemo brain might be due to factors not considered yet. The second is that any study linking chemotherapy and brain damage must include tests prior to chemo.

The debate about chemotherapy and brain damage will continue.

The bottom line is that the cause of the mental impairment does not matter. What matters is that people are suffering. Chemo brain, cognitive impairment, chemofog, what ever you call it. It has a direct impact on a person’s quality of life.

Brain training is one way to help recover from chemo brain. Thousands have been able to regain their cognitive function due to many different causes. Chemo brain is one of them.

Go to http://www.chemobrain.info to find out how Posit Sciences has helped patients who have had chemotherapy and brain damage.

Discover how others have triumphed over chemo brain!

Can you train your brain to think again? Thousands have. Why not you?

http://www.chemobrian.info

Chemo brain comes as a surprise to many cancer patients. Survivors think their lives will get back to normal when the cancer is gone. Unfortunately, as many as 50% of chemo patients report a lingering phenomenon known as chemo brain. The effects can stonewall attempts to get back to their day-to-day lives. What is chemo brain? What are the symptoms? What can you do about it?

Some patients report mental cloudiness after chemo treatments. Therefore, chemo brain also goes by the name ‘chemo fog.’

Not all cancer patients suffer chemo brain. A patient may have two choices to fight cancer. The two choices are chemo or surgery, depending on a number of factors. Chemo uses chemicals to kill cancer cells. Cancer patients treated with surgery do not appear to get this mental cloudiness. At least not at the level chemo patients experience.

Fear of this cognitive dysfunction can influence the course of treatment.

There has been a debate for years. Some medical professionals do not believe it exists. Of those who do believe chemo brain is real, they do not agree on the cause.

Recently have there been studies on chemo brain. They are confirming it is real. Researchers have been able to measure symptoms. They have determined that chemo brain is a very real side effect of chemotherapy.

Some reported symptoms include problems in the following areas:

- Memory. Weakened short-term memory. Memory lapses. People’s names escape you. Cannot remember where you put your keys, remote, glasses, etc.

- Concentration. Can’t focus. Easily distracted. Cannot read an entire book.

- Multi-tasking. Can only concentrate on one thing at a time. Cannot talk on the phone while cooking without losing track of one or the other.

- Word Recall. Cannot find the right words. Cannot finish sentences because the right words elude you.

- Slower Thinking. Cannot learn new things as fast as before. Takes you longer to finish things.

The symptoms listed here are the most commonly reported. Sufferers can experience a multitude of issues not present prior to chemo. Some symptoms can be mild and some fierce. The symptoms can last anywhere from a few weeks to ten years.

As you can imagine, this is very frustrating for the sufferer. Cognitive dysfunction can seriously affect a person’s quality of life. I do not know how someone with this condition could not develop coping strategies. Some include:

- Using day planners can be a godsend. Keeping everything in one place makes tracking easier. You can enter ideas, promises made, appointments, phone numbers, etc.

- Routines can be helpful. Put your keys in the same place every time. Keeping a daily schedule can ensure that daily tasks are completed.

- Do not try to multi-task. Only try to focus on one thing at a time.

On average, symptoms disappear in about four years. However, some things you can do may help the process. Lifestyle factors may help overcome cognitive dysfunction. For example, exercising your body and eating vegetables.

Exercising your brain can also be very helpful. There are countless stories of people who have put their lives back on track after suffering mental dysfunction. This includes people with such issues as traumatic brain injury, strokes, and yes, chemo brain.

Challenging your mind is one of the best ways to overcome cognitive dysfunction of any type. There are brain-training games out there that have helped others with chemo brain. They are worth investigating to see if you too can defeat chemo brain.

Can you train your brain to think again? Thousands have. Why not you?

Many report improvements in just a few weeks.

By going to the following website, you will learn how others have triumphed over chemo brain.

http://www.chemobrain.info