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Managing Your Menopause Type®
Educational Class |
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Session Three - Your Risks of Disease |
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Cancer Risks |
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The major cancers related to the reproductive
system are breast cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer. These cancers
are largely hormone dependent, meaning that if they do occur, the presence of
hormones may increase their growth or invasiveness. The degree of increased
risk per passing year is lower in postmenopausal women who have not been
given hormone replacement therapies for hormone dependent cancers. However,
the risks for breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer still persists, and must
still be given consideration when doing disease risk assessment. |
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The non-reproductive system cancers, such as lung
cancer and colon cancer, appear to be less dependent on hormones. The degree of
increased risk per passing year age is higher for non-hormone dependent
cancers such as colon, lung and stomach. With each passing year there is a
greater chance of having one of these cancers. |
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Because of the increasing risks for non-hormone dependent
cancers and the persisting risks of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer,
there is an increasing opinion that screening for cancer should be a routine
part of women’s health and menopause management. |
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It's important to understand that "cancer
tests" are not quite the same as hormone tests or cardiovascular disease
tests. While a serum cholesterol test can be directly interpreted as being
"too high" and therapies can be chosen, blood tests for cancer do
not provide a definitive diagnosis. There are things that can give
"false positive", meaning that the test says you have cancer in a
tissue, but after surgery no cancer was found. Likewise, there may be a
"false negative", meaning that the test says you do not have cancer,
but cancer shows up anyway. |
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For this reason, "cancer tests" are
considered as either screening tests, which have to be confirmed by further
examination and evaluation. However, there are some tests that should be done
routinely in women. These include: |
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Mammography -
breast cancer risk. 2-OH-E1 : 16 a-OH-E1 Ratio* - breast cancer risk. PAP
Smear - cervical / uterine cancer risk. Occult
Blood - colon cancer risk. |
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* 2-OH-E1 : 16 a-OH-E1
Ratio (2-hydroxyestrone to 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone ratio analysis) A low
ratio (low 2-OH-E1 compared to 16 a-OH-E1) is associated with increased risk
for breast cancer, and possibly other cancers. This test is available in
either urine or blood. |
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Though screening for cancer by testing serum levels
of tumor markers has not become routine yet, there is, as noted, an
increasing opinion that these tests are a valuable component of health
assessment and disease management. |
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Here is a list of tests used for cancer screening
and cancer risk assessment. |
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These screens and risk assessments include physical biomarkers such as imaging tests
(X-rays, ultrasound or thermal imaging), as well as endoscopic
tests (colonoscopy) and cytological tests (PAP smear). Biochemical biomarkers include serum, urine and stool tests. |
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CANCER |
Physical
Biomarkers of Cancer |
Biochemical
Biomarkers of Cancer |
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Breast |
Mammography, Thermography |
CEA, CA-15-3 |
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Uterine |
Papanicolau Test (PAP
Smear) Pelvic ultrasound |
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Ovarian |
Pelvic ultrasound, |
CA-125 |
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Lung |
Chest x-ray |
CA 19-9, CA 15-3 |
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Colon |
Sigmoidoscopy
(colonoscopy) |
Occult
blood (in stool), CA 242, CEA |
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General
Screens |
UltraFast CT scan |
CA 19-9 (pancreas & GI system) AFP (liver cancer) |
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What this means to you |
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Knowing your
risk for cancer will allow you to make choices to decrease those risks. |
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At a
minimum, yearly PAP smear, yearly mammography (with clinical breast exam), and yearly occult blood screening should be
done. Consider that a minimum standard of care. With the advent of 2-OH-E1 : 16-a-OH-E1 ratio
analysis, it is my personal belief that the testing of how your body
metabolizes estrogen (which can influence your risk of cancer) will soon be a
standard of care as well. |
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To decrease you risk of cancer, begin
with the basics; regular exercise, a healthy diet with nutritional support,
and proper elimination. Focus on controlling
oxidative stress by using antioxidants, managing proper cellular metabolism by taking additional Vitamins
B6, B12 and Folic Acid supplements, (Nutrient Dosages)
and maintaining proper estrogen
metabolism by taking an indole-3-carbinol supplement. Indole-3-carbinol
(I-3-C) is naturally found in cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, and may
decrease the risks of cancers associated with abnormal estrogen metabolism. |
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Oxidative stress
may be one cause for increased risk for cancer. |
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Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid
deficiencies have been associated with abnormal cellular metabolism (poor methylation for you biochemists) which may cause
increased risk of some cancers. Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid deficiencies
have been associated with abnormal cellular metabolism (poor methylation for you biochemists) which may cause
increased risk of some cancers. |
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Improper estrogen metabolism is associated
with increased risk for breast cancer, and possibly other cancers. |
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The extensive Professional Management of Menopause
Type® Seminar is available to healthcare professionals as a
component of the Management of Menopause Types® Program.
Women are advised to Find a Physician & Choose a Pharmacist that are have
been trained in Management of Menopause Type® Program |
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What's
Next? |
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Choices to Decrease the Risk of Osteoporosis, Heart Disease &
Cancer |
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The Managing Your Menopause Type® Educational Class
is provided to the public without charge. This information is provided for
education purposes only, and is not intended to prescribe treatment. Consult
a physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional regarding the
applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your
symptoms or medical condition. |
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This public education class does not provide
physicians, pharmacists or other healthcare professional with the extensive
training and ongoing education provided within the Management of Menopause Type®
Program. |
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The extensive Professional Management of Menopause
Type® Seminar is available to healthcare professionals as a
component of the Management
of Menopause Types® Program. |
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Menopause Type® is a Registered
Trademark of YourMenopauseType.com. |
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© 1999 - 2001 by YourMenopauseType.com. |
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YourMenopauseType.com, Inc. |
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