I have been inspired by Mary at http://maryquilts.blogspot.com/ to do a postcard journal. I couldn't get this neat idea out of my head so I jumped in today. I did one to commemorate the firefighter's quilt I made for Dan's graduation from firefighting quilt. I am going to try to make a postcard for all quilts from here on out and write on the back of it the details of why the quilt was made.
Here is the front:
Here's the back:
On a different note, I have 2 gals who clean the house every other week. They have admired my quilts all the time and hinted they would love to have one. I finally gave them some tops and said "pick one out". I finished those and will give them to the gals tomorrow. I am only showing one becauwe the 2nd one has some bad feelings attached to them for me.
Have a great day everyone!
Laurie
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
My weekend UFO top completion
The blocks were half assembled but all the rows had to be put together. It is from the book "One Block Wonder" bye Maxine Rosenthal and it'll probably by my "One Quilt Wonder" as well! LOL...this was tedious. I like how it turned out but I like faster projects! ;o) I was making this for my son to take to the station and let the firefighters use it...he is not sure he wants to do that cuz there are too many "6 packs" blocks staring at him! LOL I might send it to a fire station in San Diego and thank the firefighters there for their hard work during the fires. We'll see how Dan feels after I get it quilted.
Here's a close up of some of the blocks.
I wanted to make it longer so I used Tanya's letters to spell out fire. Then I carefully chose the firefighters from the fabric to put on the sides of it. I could've used one of the topless men! ROFL!
And finally, a picture of the whole cloth fabric.
So there it is! A productive weekend and a messy sewing room! :o)
Laurie
Here's a close up of some of the blocks.
I wanted to make it longer so I used Tanya's letters to spell out fire. Then I carefully chose the firefighters from the fabric to put on the sides of it. I could've used one of the topless men! ROFL!
And finally, a picture of the whole cloth fabric.
So there it is! A productive weekend and a messy sewing room! :o)
Laurie
Monday, October 22, 2007
I think he likes it!
WELL, today I finished the binding on Dan's quilt. I think it's safe to say he likes it! LOL...here is a pic of both of us with the quilt.
Dan had his wisdom teeth pulled this morning and I wanted him to be able to sleep under this new quilt tonight. Here he is with the backing of his quilt.
This is a closeup of the label. There is Dan on his graduation day. It was hard to get a good pic of this tonight.
He wrapped himself up in it too quickly...I couldn't get a closeup of the quilting. I used a variegated thread and quilted flames on it! Here is the quilt coming AT you...
and here is the quilt LEAVING you! LOL
It was a GOOD day!
Hugs
Laurie
Dan had his wisdom teeth pulled this morning and I wanted him to be able to sleep under this new quilt tonight. Here he is with the backing of his quilt.
This is a closeup of the label. There is Dan on his graduation day. It was hard to get a good pic of this tonight.
He wrapped himself up in it too quickly...I couldn't get a closeup of the quilting. I used a variegated thread and quilted flames on it! Here is the quilt coming AT you...
and here is the quilt LEAVING you! LOL
It was a GOOD day!
Hugs
Laurie
Saturday, October 20, 2007
A life of its own!
Well, I have a lot of catching up to do since I have been posting breast cancer stuff this month. A major event occured last Saturday. My youngest son, Dan, graduated from firefighting academy!!!! He is now a full fledged firefighter who needs a job! LOL...but here is a pic of him with his brother and sister at his graduation. The ceremony wasn't announced until 10 days before it happened so DH and I missed it because we were in DC for DH's business and this trip had been planned for months. While we were at lunch Dan sent me a pic via text messaging of him wth his diploma...I cried right there in the restaurant.
I had told Dan that when he graduated (he got his final test results on Friday...he passed the final 4 tests...) that I would make him a fire quilt. I had a TON of fabric that I had collected...can you say too much??? But what pattern was I going to do?? I had several fabs that needed to be fussy cut and 9" was a good size. That being said, I figured, OK, I need an alternate block to set with the larger blocks. I called both my sisters and they had the same idea that I did...use the other fabs, cut 6" squares and frame them to be 9". As I thought about it I didn't want it to be that boring and I wanted to use a LOT of the fabrics without worrying about seams, matching, contrast etc. OK...so I went to an online site that a friend of mine started and she had a book on there that I HAVE!!!!! It's called "Happy Hour" by Terri Atkinson! The cover quilt was the answer to my problem!!! I used that block as my alternate.
Now the body of the quilt is designed, but what to do about the rest? I had a hydrant fabric that I knew I would fussy cut and have as the first border. But what was next??? Fabric usage was of prime concern here. OK...so, let's do a piano key border next and use a BUNCH more fabric! YESSSSSSSSSS!!! Still not big enough though...I wanted it to fit a double bed if not a queen. I wanted to use the red firetruck/fireman fabric for the last border. But, I did not have enough to piece it and fit the top. (sigh) What to do, what to do? Hmmmmmmm...the flame fabric that I have wasn't used enough, how can I use it in the border? LIGHT BULB comes on! LOL...I decided the firemen needed to be putting flames out so I mitred flame fabric into the final border!
OMG...When I looked at the quilt I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I honestly have to say that this might be my most favorite quilt yet! It is busy but so fun! It's a happy quilt and I know Dan will LOVE it! Here's a closeup of some of the top.
OK..top done...I bet you think I used up most of the fabric. WRONG!!! I have enough left to probably make a lap throw! YIKES!
I hear what you are thinking...NO NO NO, the back is in need of being made yet! Use the leftovers for the backing! HAHAHAHAHA...nope, I have 2 flannels that I will use for the back! ROFL...Maybe a lap quilt is in order!
Anyway, I willl get a label made, a back made, throw it on the longarm, bind it and give it to my fireman Dan!!!
It was fun to quilt!
Hugs
Laurie
I had told Dan that when he graduated (he got his final test results on Friday...he passed the final 4 tests...) that I would make him a fire quilt. I had a TON of fabric that I had collected...can you say too much??? But what pattern was I going to do?? I had several fabs that needed to be fussy cut and 9" was a good size. That being said, I figured, OK, I need an alternate block to set with the larger blocks. I called both my sisters and they had the same idea that I did...use the other fabs, cut 6" squares and frame them to be 9". As I thought about it I didn't want it to be that boring and I wanted to use a LOT of the fabrics without worrying about seams, matching, contrast etc. OK...so I went to an online site that a friend of mine started and she had a book on there that I HAVE!!!!! It's called "Happy Hour" by Terri Atkinson! The cover quilt was the answer to my problem!!! I used that block as my alternate.
Now the body of the quilt is designed, but what to do about the rest? I had a hydrant fabric that I knew I would fussy cut and have as the first border. But what was next??? Fabric usage was of prime concern here. OK...so, let's do a piano key border next and use a BUNCH more fabric! YESSSSSSSSSS!!! Still not big enough though...I wanted it to fit a double bed if not a queen. I wanted to use the red firetruck/fireman fabric for the last border. But, I did not have enough to piece it and fit the top. (sigh) What to do, what to do? Hmmmmmmm...the flame fabric that I have wasn't used enough, how can I use it in the border? LIGHT BULB comes on! LOL...I decided the firemen needed to be putting flames out so I mitred flame fabric into the final border!
OMG...When I looked at the quilt I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I honestly have to say that this might be my most favorite quilt yet! It is busy but so fun! It's a happy quilt and I know Dan will LOVE it! Here's a closeup of some of the top.
OK..top done...I bet you think I used up most of the fabric. WRONG!!! I have enough left to probably make a lap throw! YIKES!
I hear what you are thinking...NO NO NO, the back is in need of being made yet! Use the leftovers for the backing! HAHAHAHAHA...nope, I have 2 flannels that I will use for the back! ROFL...Maybe a lap quilt is in order!
Anyway, I willl get a label made, a back made, throw it on the longarm, bind it and give it to my fireman Dan!!!
It was fun to quilt!
Hugs
Laurie
Friday, October 19, 2007
Lymph Node Dissection
Lymph Node Dissection: What to Expect
How long surgery takes
Surgery takes about an hour. The process of being admitted and prepared for surgery will vary from place to place. The amount of time you spend in the recovery room, waking up and getting to the point that you're ready to go home, will vary from woman to woman.
The incision
Most surgeons make a two–to–three–inch incision in the skin crease under your arm.
What happens
General anesthesia is used. Most commonly, the lower two levels of the three levels of axillary nodes will be removed. Occasionally, a surgeon will take one or two nodes from the top level, as an extra precaution. If you have a modified radical mastectomy, the lymph node dissection usually occurs in the same operation. If you have a lumpectomy, the lymph node dissection may occur at the same time or in a later operation. Once the surgeon removes the nodes, a pathologist will examine them carefully for signs of cancer. It may take days before the pathology report is available.
The risks
Lost or decreased sensation in the back of the arm or armpit. Sometimes the nerve supplying sensation to the back of the arm and armpit is cut, stretched, or damaged during surgery. This loss of sensation may be temporary, but for some women it may persist.
Tingling, numbness, stiffness, weakness, or lymphedema (swelling of the arm). It's important not to let your arm become weak and stiff as a result of discomfort and limited range of motion (mobility) after surgery. Physical therapy and exercise can help restore your arm movement and strength.
Inflammation of the arm veins as they pass through the armpit region. This inflammation can show up several days after surgery, and usually responds to treatment with ice and aspirin within several days. Occasionally a clot can form in the affected vein.
Winged scapula. This is an extremely rare complication that happens when the motor nerves that hold your shoulder blade flat are damaged, causing your shoulder blade to stick out when you hold your arm out straight. Again, this is extremely rare, and is usually not a problem in daily activities.
Increased risk of infection in the surgical area. This is usually discovered early and responds well to treatment.
How long surgery takes
Surgery takes about an hour. The process of being admitted and prepared for surgery will vary from place to place. The amount of time you spend in the recovery room, waking up and getting to the point that you're ready to go home, will vary from woman to woman.
The incision
Most surgeons make a two–to–three–inch incision in the skin crease under your arm.
What happens
General anesthesia is used. Most commonly, the lower two levels of the three levels of axillary nodes will be removed. Occasionally, a surgeon will take one or two nodes from the top level, as an extra precaution. If you have a modified radical mastectomy, the lymph node dissection usually occurs in the same operation. If you have a lumpectomy, the lymph node dissection may occur at the same time or in a later operation. Once the surgeon removes the nodes, a pathologist will examine them carefully for signs of cancer. It may take days before the pathology report is available.
The risks
Lost or decreased sensation in the back of the arm or armpit. Sometimes the nerve supplying sensation to the back of the arm and armpit is cut, stretched, or damaged during surgery. This loss of sensation may be temporary, but for some women it may persist.
Tingling, numbness, stiffness, weakness, or lymphedema (swelling of the arm). It's important not to let your arm become weak and stiff as a result of discomfort and limited range of motion (mobility) after surgery. Physical therapy and exercise can help restore your arm movement and strength.
Inflammation of the arm veins as they pass through the armpit region. This inflammation can show up several days after surgery, and usually responds to treatment with ice and aspirin within several days. Occasionally a clot can form in the affected vein.
Winged scapula. This is an extremely rare complication that happens when the motor nerves that hold your shoulder blade flat are damaged, causing your shoulder blade to stick out when you hold your arm out straight. Again, this is extremely rare, and is usually not a problem in daily activities.
Increased risk of infection in the surgical area. This is usually discovered early and responds well to treatment.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Male Breast Cancer
What Is Breast Cancer in Men?
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts from cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that may invade surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer occurs mainly in women but occasionally occurs in men. Many people do not realize that men have breast tissue and that they can develop breast cancer.
Normal Breast Structure
In order to understand breast cancer, it is helpful to have some basic knowledge about the normal structure of the breasts.
The breast is made up mainly of lobules (milk-producing glands in women), ducts (tiny tubes that carry the milk from the lobules to the nipple), and stroma (fatty tissue and connective tissue surrounding the ducts and lobules, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels).
Until puberty, young boys and girls have a small amount of breast tissue consisting of a few ducts located under the nipple and areola (area around the nipple). At puberty, a girl's ovaries make female hormones, causing breast ducts to grow, lobules to form at the ends of ducts, and the amount of stroma to increase. In males, hormones made by the testicles prevent further growth of breast tissue. Men's breast tissue contains ducts, but only a few if any lobules.
Like all cells of the body, a man's breast duct cells can undergo cancerous changes. Because women have many more breast cells than men do and perhaps because their breast cells are constantly exposed to the growth-promoting effects of female hormones, breast cancer is much more common in women.
The Lymph (Lymphatic) System
The lymph system is important to understand because it is one of the ways in which breast cancers can spread. This system has several parts.
Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that are connected by lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels are like small veins, except that they carry a clear fluid called lymph (instead of blood) away from the breast. Lymph contains tissue fluid and waste products, as well as immune system cells (cells that are important in fighting infections). Breast cancer cells can enter lymphatic vessels and begin to grow in lymph nodes. This becomes important when we talk about staging (see the section, "How Is Breast Cancer in Men Staged?").
Most lymphatic vessels in the breast connect to lymph nodes under the arm (axillary nodes). Some lymphatic vessels connect to lymph nodes near the breast bone (internal mammary nodes) and either above or below the collarbone (supraclavicular or infraclavicular nodes).
Knowing if the cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes is important because if they have, there is a higher chance that the cells could have gotten into the bloodstream and spread (metastasized) to other sites in the body. This is important to know when you are choosing a treatment. The more lymph nodes that are involved with the breast cancer, the more likely it is that the cancer will eventually be found in other organs as well. But not all men with lymph node involvement develop metastases, and it is not unusual for a man to have negative lymph nodes and later develop metastases.
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts from cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that may invade surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer occurs mainly in women but occasionally occurs in men. Many people do not realize that men have breast tissue and that they can develop breast cancer.
Normal Breast Structure
In order to understand breast cancer, it is helpful to have some basic knowledge about the normal structure of the breasts.
The breast is made up mainly of lobules (milk-producing glands in women), ducts (tiny tubes that carry the milk from the lobules to the nipple), and stroma (fatty tissue and connective tissue surrounding the ducts and lobules, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels).
Until puberty, young boys and girls have a small amount of breast tissue consisting of a few ducts located under the nipple and areola (area around the nipple). At puberty, a girl's ovaries make female hormones, causing breast ducts to grow, lobules to form at the ends of ducts, and the amount of stroma to increase. In males, hormones made by the testicles prevent further growth of breast tissue. Men's breast tissue contains ducts, but only a few if any lobules.
Like all cells of the body, a man's breast duct cells can undergo cancerous changes. Because women have many more breast cells than men do and perhaps because their breast cells are constantly exposed to the growth-promoting effects of female hormones, breast cancer is much more common in women.
The Lymph (Lymphatic) System
The lymph system is important to understand because it is one of the ways in which breast cancers can spread. This system has several parts.
Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells that are connected by lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels are like small veins, except that they carry a clear fluid called lymph (instead of blood) away from the breast. Lymph contains tissue fluid and waste products, as well as immune system cells (cells that are important in fighting infections). Breast cancer cells can enter lymphatic vessels and begin to grow in lymph nodes. This becomes important when we talk about staging (see the section, "How Is Breast Cancer in Men Staged?").
Most lymphatic vessels in the breast connect to lymph nodes under the arm (axillary nodes). Some lymphatic vessels connect to lymph nodes near the breast bone (internal mammary nodes) and either above or below the collarbone (supraclavicular or infraclavicular nodes).
Knowing if the cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes is important because if they have, there is a higher chance that the cells could have gotten into the bloodstream and spread (metastasized) to other sites in the body. This is important to know when you are choosing a treatment. The more lymph nodes that are involved with the breast cancer, the more likely it is that the cancer will eventually be found in other organs as well. But not all men with lymph node involvement develop metastases, and it is not unusual for a man to have negative lymph nodes and later develop metastases.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
UNDERSTANDING RISK
Understanding Risk
Day in and day out, we all take steps to manage the risks in our lives. We wear our seatbelts to avoid getting hurt in a car crash. We brush our teeth to protect them from cavities, and we carry umbrellas to cut down on the risk of getting soaked in a storm. Yet, even while we take these types of steps every day, most of us don’t spend much time thinking about risk. But it’s actually an important concept that’s worth exploring, especially when it comes to matters of health and science. “Risk” in these fields can have a number of different meanings, and knowing some of the basic types of risk can help you better understand your chances of developing a disease like breast cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself from it.
Absolute Risk
The most basic type of risk is absolute risk, which is simply a person's chance of developing a specific disease over a certain time period. Absolute risk is estimated by looking at a large group of people who are similar in some respect (in terms of age, for example) and counting the number of people in the group who develop the disease in question over the specified time period.
For example, if we followed 100,000 women between the ages of 20 and 29 for one year, approximately 4 would develop breast cancer during this period. This means that the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 20- to 29-year-old woman is 4 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 25,000 women. Another way to say this is that the chances of developing breast cancer in the next year are 4 in 100,000 (or 1 in 25,000) for the average 20- to 29-year-old woman.
In another example, if we followed 100,000 women aged 70 to 74 for a one-year period, approximately 400 of them would develop breast cancer. This means the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 70- to 74-year-old woman is 400 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 250 women.
Knowing the absolute risk of disease can help women prioritize the health risks in their lives. In the examples above, for instance, we see that the absolute risk of breast cancer is low in young women and much higher in older women.
Lifetime risk
One absolute risk that many women are familiar with is the lifetime risk of breast cancer. Currently, women in the US have a “1 in 8”, or approximately 12 percent, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer [2]. This statistic means that for every 8 American women who live to be age 85, one of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Not surprisingly, the lifetime risk of breast cancer is much higher than the one-year risk of breast cancer. This is because the lifetime risk is a type of summing, or adding up, of all the one-year absolute risks over a woman's life span, up to age 85.
Risk Factors
Anything that influences a person’s absolute risk of developing a disease is called a risk factor. A risk factor can be anything from a lifestyle choice (such as diet) to a genetic component (such as family history) to an environmental exposure (such as radiation). For instance, lack of exercise is a risk factor for breast cancer. Women who are not regularly active have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who are regularly active.
Relative Risk
Though the term “relative risk” may not sound familiar, you likely see or hear about relative risks all the time in news stories about health. A relative risk is a generalized way to present the increase or decrease in risk that’s due to a particular risk factor.
A relative risk is calculated by taking the ratio of two absolute risks: the numerator (the top number in the ratio) is the absolute risk among those with the risk factor, while the denominator (the bottom number) is the absolute risk among those without the risk factor. When the absolute risk of those with the factor is divided by the absolute risk of those without the factor, the number you get is the relative risk.
Say there is a new study published that finds that women who don’t exercise regularly have a 25 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer compared to women who do exercise regularly: this statistic is a relative risk. It means that women who don’t exercise are 25 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do exercise.
Understanding relative risks
What’s important to realize about relative risks is that they depend on the underlying absolute risks. Overall, when a disease is rare, as breast cancer is among very young women, a relative risk that sounds high will still mean that only a few extra cases of disease will arise. By contrast, when a disease is more common, as breast cancer is among older women, even small relative risks can mean a lot more cases of disease.
One way to think about this is in terms of money. If a person has a single dollar, this makes dollars "rare". If this person doubles her money, she only gains one extra dollar. In contrast, if a person has a million dollars, this makes dollars "common", and a doubling of her money means she gains a million extra dollars. In both cases, there is a doubling of money, but the real increase in dollars is very different. The same is true with disease risk: the higher the absolute risk of getting a disease, the greater the number of extra cases that will develop for a given relative risk.
Our previous example of the exercise study can show this as well. In this scenario, the study found that physically inactive women have a 25 percent greater risk of breast cancer than active women do. Since older women are more likely to develop breast cancer than younger women, the potential impact that lack of physical activity has on breast cancer is greater in older women than in younger women. And the numbers below show this.
Among women aged 70-74, 500 women per 100,000 who are physically inactive could develop breast cancer in the next year, while 400 women per 100,000 who are active could develop the disease.
So, among older women aged 70-74, being inactive could potentially lead to 100 more cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 women.
Among women aged 20-29, however, being inactive would cause only 1 extra case of breast cancer in 100,000 women. Among these younger women, 4 women per 100,000 who are active could get breast cancer in the next year, while 5 women per 100,000 who are inactive could get breast cancer.
Of course, a healthy lifestyle should be maintained throughout life, not just when one’s underlying risk of disease crosses a certain threshold. But, understanding how absolute risk and relative risk interrelate can help women become better informed consumers of health information and use this knowledge to make informed decisions about the health choices in their lives.
Reading Relative Risks
Relative risks are presented in many ways. Here’s a brief guide to help you recognize a relative risk when you see it in the newspaper, hear it on the TV news or read it in on the Internet.
When a relative risk is between 1.0 and 1.99, as physical inactivity is, it might be presented in any of the following ways:
• “Inactivity has a relative risk of 1.25.”
• “Inactivity increases the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent.”
• “Inactivity increases risk by 1.25-fold.”
When a relative risk is 2.0 or above, it is often presented in relation to how many times the risk is increased. If, for example, a factor has a relative risk of 3.0, it can also be stated as follows:
• "Risk is increased 3 times."
• "There is a 3-fold increase in risk."
When a relative risk is below 1.0, it means that the risk factor actually lowers the risk of disease. If, for example, a factor lowered the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent, it could also be stated as follows:
• “The factor has a relative risk of 0.75.”
• “This factor lowers risk by 25 percent.”
Day in and day out, we all take steps to manage the risks in our lives. We wear our seatbelts to avoid getting hurt in a car crash. We brush our teeth to protect them from cavities, and we carry umbrellas to cut down on the risk of getting soaked in a storm. Yet, even while we take these types of steps every day, most of us don’t spend much time thinking about risk. But it’s actually an important concept that’s worth exploring, especially when it comes to matters of health and science. “Risk” in these fields can have a number of different meanings, and knowing some of the basic types of risk can help you better understand your chances of developing a disease like breast cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself from it.
Absolute Risk
The most basic type of risk is absolute risk, which is simply a person's chance of developing a specific disease over a certain time period. Absolute risk is estimated by looking at a large group of people who are similar in some respect (in terms of age, for example) and counting the number of people in the group who develop the disease in question over the specified time period.
For example, if we followed 100,000 women between the ages of 20 and 29 for one year, approximately 4 would develop breast cancer during this period. This means that the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 20- to 29-year-old woman is 4 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 25,000 women. Another way to say this is that the chances of developing breast cancer in the next year are 4 in 100,000 (or 1 in 25,000) for the average 20- to 29-year-old woman.
In another example, if we followed 100,000 women aged 70 to 74 for a one-year period, approximately 400 of them would develop breast cancer. This means the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 70- to 74-year-old woman is 400 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 250 women.
Knowing the absolute risk of disease can help women prioritize the health risks in their lives. In the examples above, for instance, we see that the absolute risk of breast cancer is low in young women and much higher in older women.
Lifetime risk
One absolute risk that many women are familiar with is the lifetime risk of breast cancer. Currently, women in the US have a “1 in 8”, or approximately 12 percent, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer [2]. This statistic means that for every 8 American women who live to be age 85, one of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Not surprisingly, the lifetime risk of breast cancer is much higher than the one-year risk of breast cancer. This is because the lifetime risk is a type of summing, or adding up, of all the one-year absolute risks over a woman's life span, up to age 85.
Risk Factors
Anything that influences a person’s absolute risk of developing a disease is called a risk factor. A risk factor can be anything from a lifestyle choice (such as diet) to a genetic component (such as family history) to an environmental exposure (such as radiation). For instance, lack of exercise is a risk factor for breast cancer. Women who are not regularly active have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who are regularly active.
Relative Risk
Though the term “relative risk” may not sound familiar, you likely see or hear about relative risks all the time in news stories about health. A relative risk is a generalized way to present the increase or decrease in risk that’s due to a particular risk factor.
A relative risk is calculated by taking the ratio of two absolute risks: the numerator (the top number in the ratio) is the absolute risk among those with the risk factor, while the denominator (the bottom number) is the absolute risk among those without the risk factor. When the absolute risk of those with the factor is divided by the absolute risk of those without the factor, the number you get is the relative risk.
Say there is a new study published that finds that women who don’t exercise regularly have a 25 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer compared to women who do exercise regularly: this statistic is a relative risk. It means that women who don’t exercise are 25 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do exercise.
Understanding relative risks
What’s important to realize about relative risks is that they depend on the underlying absolute risks. Overall, when a disease is rare, as breast cancer is among very young women, a relative risk that sounds high will still mean that only a few extra cases of disease will arise. By contrast, when a disease is more common, as breast cancer is among older women, even small relative risks can mean a lot more cases of disease.
One way to think about this is in terms of money. If a person has a single dollar, this makes dollars "rare". If this person doubles her money, she only gains one extra dollar. In contrast, if a person has a million dollars, this makes dollars "common", and a doubling of her money means she gains a million extra dollars. In both cases, there is a doubling of money, but the real increase in dollars is very different. The same is true with disease risk: the higher the absolute risk of getting a disease, the greater the number of extra cases that will develop for a given relative risk.
Our previous example of the exercise study can show this as well. In this scenario, the study found that physically inactive women have a 25 percent greater risk of breast cancer than active women do. Since older women are more likely to develop breast cancer than younger women, the potential impact that lack of physical activity has on breast cancer is greater in older women than in younger women. And the numbers below show this.
Among women aged 70-74, 500 women per 100,000 who are physically inactive could develop breast cancer in the next year, while 400 women per 100,000 who are active could develop the disease.
So, among older women aged 70-74, being inactive could potentially lead to 100 more cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 women.
Among women aged 20-29, however, being inactive would cause only 1 extra case of breast cancer in 100,000 women. Among these younger women, 4 women per 100,000 who are active could get breast cancer in the next year, while 5 women per 100,000 who are inactive could get breast cancer.
Of course, a healthy lifestyle should be maintained throughout life, not just when one’s underlying risk of disease crosses a certain threshold. But, understanding how absolute risk and relative risk interrelate can help women become better informed consumers of health information and use this knowledge to make informed decisions about the health choices in their lives.
Reading Relative Risks
Relative risks are presented in many ways. Here’s a brief guide to help you recognize a relative risk when you see it in the newspaper, hear it on the TV news or read it in on the Internet.
When a relative risk is between 1.0 and 1.99, as physical inactivity is, it might be presented in any of the following ways:
• “Inactivity has a relative risk of 1.25.”
• “Inactivity increases the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent.”
• “Inactivity increases risk by 1.25-fold.”
When a relative risk is 2.0 or above, it is often presented in relation to how many times the risk is increased. If, for example, a factor has a relative risk of 3.0, it can also be stated as follows:
• "Risk is increased 3 times."
• "There is a 3-fold increase in risk."
When a relative risk is below 1.0, it means that the risk factor actually lowers the risk of disease. If, for example, a factor lowered the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent, it could also be stated as follows:
• “The factor has a relative risk of 0.75.”
• “This factor lowers risk by 25 percent.”
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Cancer Survivor's Park in Palm Springs, CA
8 years ago, when DH and I went to CA to celebrate my being done with chemo for my breast cancer, we found this Cancer Survivor Park. Of course I wanted to stop. We stopped again last week when we were in CA vacationing. This first picture is me walking thru the "LIFE" tunnel! (that's what I call it) It's hard to explain, but it makes me feel like the cancer will NEVER come back when I walk thru there! The last 2 pics are of plaques that I hope will help just ONE if not more cancer patients continue to fight and win their battle!
Hugs
Laurie
Hugs
Laurie
Saturday, October 06, 2007
SUPPORT GROUPS
Support groups have become an important and widely available resource for people living with breast cancer. In general, support groups are designed to increase the support network of people living with cancer. However, support groups vary in terms of their focus. Some are "information-based" educational groups, while others are "emotion-focused" and allow people to share their feelings. Both types play crucial roles in the recovery process following diagnosis and treatment. Some of these groups are led by professionals, while others are more informal, taking place in churches or people's homes. Some groups may have only weekly or monthly meetings, while others are much more involved, adding complementary therapies, such as meditation and visualization, into their sessions.
Clearly, there is no one model for a successful support group. What is most important is that people who are interested in a support group find the one that best matches their needs and personal circumstances. Most support groups, either by design or convenience, are geared toward people who are in a specific stage of dealing with their cancer. For example, the American Cancer Society and many other health-related organizations offer support groups specifically for those who have been recently diagnosed. Other groups are designed for those undergoing chemotherapy, or those in a specific age group or those dealing with a fear of recurrent breast cancer.
To help ensure a positive group experience, it is important to find a support group that fits a person’s individual needs. For more information on how to find a local support group, visit the American Cancer Society’s In My Community page. Our Breast Care Helpline at 1-800 I’M AWARE (1-800-462-9273) can also help people find local support groups and other resources.
Online support groups are also growing in membership and activity [20]. Similar to face-to-face groups, these online resources provide a chance for people to exchange information, offer and receive social support and gain a sense of personal empowerment. For men with breast cancer, the disease is so rare that online support groups are likely the best way to share experiences with men in similar situations. The Association of Cancer Online Resources and CancerCare are good sources for finding an online support group.
It is also important to remember that although support groups can be a powerful force for healing, they don’t suit everyone. For instance, support groups that are "emotion-focused" are useful for people who are comfortable expressing their emotions and fears about breast cancer in a group setting. Persons may reach this stage at different times in their recovery, or not at all. Some prefer to keep these emotions to themselves, or to share them only with close family and friends. In addition to requiring emotional energy, most support groups require a commitment of time.
Clearly, there is no one model for a successful support group. What is most important is that people who are interested in a support group find the one that best matches their needs and personal circumstances. Most support groups, either by design or convenience, are geared toward people who are in a specific stage of dealing with their cancer. For example, the American Cancer Society and many other health-related organizations offer support groups specifically for those who have been recently diagnosed. Other groups are designed for those undergoing chemotherapy, or those in a specific age group or those dealing with a fear of recurrent breast cancer.
To help ensure a positive group experience, it is important to find a support group that fits a person’s individual needs. For more information on how to find a local support group, visit the American Cancer Society’s In My Community page. Our Breast Care Helpline at 1-800 I’M AWARE (1-800-462-9273) can also help people find local support groups and other resources.
Online support groups are also growing in membership and activity [20]. Similar to face-to-face groups, these online resources provide a chance for people to exchange information, offer and receive social support and gain a sense of personal empowerment. For men with breast cancer, the disease is so rare that online support groups are likely the best way to share experiences with men in similar situations. The Association of Cancer Online Resources and CancerCare are good sources for finding an online support group.
It is also important to remember that although support groups can be a powerful force for healing, they don’t suit everyone. For instance, support groups that are "emotion-focused" are useful for people who are comfortable expressing their emotions and fears about breast cancer in a group setting. Persons may reach this stage at different times in their recovery, or not at all. Some prefer to keep these emotions to themselves, or to share them only with close family and friends. In addition to requiring emotional energy, most support groups require a commitment of time.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Breast Cancer...Understanding the RISK
Understanding Risk
Day in and day out, we all take steps to manage the risks in our lives. We wear our seatbelts to avoid getting hurt in a car crash. We brush our teeth to protect them from cavities, and we carry umbrellas to cut down on the risk of getting soaked in a storm. Yet, even while we take these types of steps every day, most of us don’t spend much time thinking about risk. But it’s actually an important concept that’s worth exploring, especially when it comes to matters of health and science. “Risk” in these fields can have a number of different meanings, and knowing some of the basic types of risk can help you better understand your chances of developing a disease like breast cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself from it.
Absolute Risk
The most basic type of risk is absolute risk, which is simply a person's chance of developing a specific disease over a certain time period. Absolute risk is estimated by looking at a large group of people who are similar in some respect (in terms of age, for example) and counting the number of people in the group who develop the disease in question over the specified time period.
For example, if we followed 100,000 women between the ages of 20 and 29 for one year, approximately 4 would develop breast cancer during this period. This means that the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 20- to 29-year-old woman is 4 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 25,000 women. Another way to say this is that the chances of developing breast cancer in the next year are 4 in 100,000 (or 1 in 25,000) for the average 20- to 29-year-old woman.
In another example, if we followed 100,000 women aged 70 to 74 for a one-year period, approximately 400 of them would develop breast cancer. This means the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 70- to 74-year-old woman is 400 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 250 women.
Knowing the absolute risk of disease can help women prioritize the health risks in their lives. In the examples above, for instance, we see that the absolute risk of breast cancer is low in young women and much higher in older women.
Lifetime risk
One absolute risk that many women are familiar with is the lifetime risk of breast cancer. Currently, women in the US have a “1 in 8”, or approximately 13 percent, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer [2]. This statistic means that for every 8 American women who live to be age 85, one of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Not surprisingly, the lifetime risk of breast cancer is much higher than the one-year risk of breast cancer. This is because the lifetime risk is a type of summing, or adding up, of all the one-year absolute risks over a woman's life span, up to age 85.
Risk Factors
Anything that influences a person’s absolute risk of developing a disease is called a risk factor. A risk factor can be anything from a lifestyle choice (such as diet) to a genetic component (such as family history) to an environmental exposure (such as radiation). For instance, lack of exercise is a risk factor for breast cancer. Women who are not regularly active have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who are regularly active.
Relative Risk
Though the term “relative risk” may not sound familiar, you likely see or hear about relative risks all the time in news stories about health. A relative risk is a generalized way to present the increase or decrease in risk that’s due to a particular risk factor.
A relative risk is calculated by taking the ratio of two absolute risks: the numerator (the top number in the ratio) is the absolute risk among those with the risk factor, while the denominator (the bottom number) is the absolute risk among those without the risk factor. When the absolute risk of those with the factor is divided by the absolute risk of those without the factor, the number you get is the relative risk.
Say there is a new study published that finds that women who don’t exercise regularly have a 25 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer compared to women who do exercise regularly: this statistic is a relative risk. It means that women who don’t exercise are 25 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do exercise.
Understanding relative risks
What’s important to realize about relative risks is that they depend on the underlying absolute risks. Overall, when a disease is rare, as breast cancer is among very young women, a relative risk that sounds high will still mean that only a few extra cases of disease will arise. By contrast, when a disease is more common, as breast cancer is among older women, even small relative risks can mean a lot more cases of disease.
One way to think about this is in terms of money. If a person has a single dollar, this makes dollars "rare". If this person doubles her money, she only gains one extra dollar. In contrast, if a person has a million dollars, this makes dollars "common", and a doubling of her money means she gains a million extra dollars. In both cases, there is a doubling of money, but the real increase in dollars is very different. The same is true with disease risk: the higher the absolute risk of getting a disease, the greater the number of extra cases that will develop for a given relative risk.
Our previous example of the exercise study can show this as well. In this scenario, the study found that physically inactive women have a 25 percent greater risk of breast cancer than active women do. Since older women are more likely to develop breast cancer than younger women, the potential impact that lack of physical activity has on breast cancer is greater in older women than in younger women. And the numbers below show this.
Among women aged 70-74, 500 women per 100,000 who are physically inactive could develop breast cancer in the next year, while 400 women per 100,000 who are active could develop the disease.
So, among older women aged 70-74, being inactive could potentially lead to 100 more cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 women.
Among women aged 20-29, however, being inactive would cause only 1 extra case of breast cancer in 100,000 women. Among these younger women, 4 women per 100,000 who are active could get breast cancer in the next year, while 5 women per 100,000 who are inactive could get breast cancer.
Of course, a healthy lifestyle should be maintained throughout life, not just when one’s underlying risk of disease crosses a certain threshold. But, understanding how absolute risk and relative risk interrelate can help women become better informed consumers of health information and use this knowledge to make informed decisions about the health choices in their lives.
Reading Relative Risks
Relative risks are presented in many ways. Here’s a brief guide to help you recognize a relative risk when you see it in the newspaper, hear it on the TV news or read it in on the Internet.
When a relative risk is between 1.0 and 1.99, as physical inactivity is, it might be presented in any of the following ways:
“Inactivity has a relative risk of 1.25.”
“Inactivity increases the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent.”
“Inactivity increases risk by 1.25-fold.”
When a relative risk is 2.0 or above, it is often presented in relation to how many times the risk is increased. If, for example, a factor has a relative risk of 3.0, it can also be stated as follows:
"Risk is increased 3 times."
"There is a 3-fold increase in risk."
When a relative risk is below 1.0, it means that the risk factor actually lowers the risk of disease. If, for example, a factor lowered the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent, it could also be stated as follows:
“The factor has a relative risk of 0.75.”
“This factor lowers risk by 25 percent.”
Day in and day out, we all take steps to manage the risks in our lives. We wear our seatbelts to avoid getting hurt in a car crash. We brush our teeth to protect them from cavities, and we carry umbrellas to cut down on the risk of getting soaked in a storm. Yet, even while we take these types of steps every day, most of us don’t spend much time thinking about risk. But it’s actually an important concept that’s worth exploring, especially when it comes to matters of health and science. “Risk” in these fields can have a number of different meanings, and knowing some of the basic types of risk can help you better understand your chances of developing a disease like breast cancer and the steps you can take to protect yourself from it.
Absolute Risk
The most basic type of risk is absolute risk, which is simply a person's chance of developing a specific disease over a certain time period. Absolute risk is estimated by looking at a large group of people who are similar in some respect (in terms of age, for example) and counting the number of people in the group who develop the disease in question over the specified time period.
For example, if we followed 100,000 women between the ages of 20 and 29 for one year, approximately 4 would develop breast cancer during this period. This means that the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 20- to 29-year-old woman is 4 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 25,000 women. Another way to say this is that the chances of developing breast cancer in the next year are 4 in 100,000 (or 1 in 25,000) for the average 20- to 29-year-old woman.
In another example, if we followed 100,000 women aged 70 to 74 for a one-year period, approximately 400 of them would develop breast cancer. This means the one-year absolute risk of breast cancer for a 70- to 74-year-old woman is 400 per 100,000 women, or 1 per 250 women.
Knowing the absolute risk of disease can help women prioritize the health risks in their lives. In the examples above, for instance, we see that the absolute risk of breast cancer is low in young women and much higher in older women.
Lifetime risk
One absolute risk that many women are familiar with is the lifetime risk of breast cancer. Currently, women in the US have a “1 in 8”, or approximately 13 percent, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer [2]. This statistic means that for every 8 American women who live to be age 85, one of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. Not surprisingly, the lifetime risk of breast cancer is much higher than the one-year risk of breast cancer. This is because the lifetime risk is a type of summing, or adding up, of all the one-year absolute risks over a woman's life span, up to age 85.
Risk Factors
Anything that influences a person’s absolute risk of developing a disease is called a risk factor. A risk factor can be anything from a lifestyle choice (such as diet) to a genetic component (such as family history) to an environmental exposure (such as radiation). For instance, lack of exercise is a risk factor for breast cancer. Women who are not regularly active have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who are regularly active.
Relative Risk
Though the term “relative risk” may not sound familiar, you likely see or hear about relative risks all the time in news stories about health. A relative risk is a generalized way to present the increase or decrease in risk that’s due to a particular risk factor.
A relative risk is calculated by taking the ratio of two absolute risks: the numerator (the top number in the ratio) is the absolute risk among those with the risk factor, while the denominator (the bottom number) is the absolute risk among those without the risk factor. When the absolute risk of those with the factor is divided by the absolute risk of those without the factor, the number you get is the relative risk.
Say there is a new study published that finds that women who don’t exercise regularly have a 25 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer compared to women who do exercise regularly: this statistic is a relative risk. It means that women who don’t exercise are 25 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do exercise.
Understanding relative risks
What’s important to realize about relative risks is that they depend on the underlying absolute risks. Overall, when a disease is rare, as breast cancer is among very young women, a relative risk that sounds high will still mean that only a few extra cases of disease will arise. By contrast, when a disease is more common, as breast cancer is among older women, even small relative risks can mean a lot more cases of disease.
One way to think about this is in terms of money. If a person has a single dollar, this makes dollars "rare". If this person doubles her money, she only gains one extra dollar. In contrast, if a person has a million dollars, this makes dollars "common", and a doubling of her money means she gains a million extra dollars. In both cases, there is a doubling of money, but the real increase in dollars is very different. The same is true with disease risk: the higher the absolute risk of getting a disease, the greater the number of extra cases that will develop for a given relative risk.
Our previous example of the exercise study can show this as well. In this scenario, the study found that physically inactive women have a 25 percent greater risk of breast cancer than active women do. Since older women are more likely to develop breast cancer than younger women, the potential impact that lack of physical activity has on breast cancer is greater in older women than in younger women. And the numbers below show this.
Among women aged 70-74, 500 women per 100,000 who are physically inactive could develop breast cancer in the next year, while 400 women per 100,000 who are active could develop the disease.
So, among older women aged 70-74, being inactive could potentially lead to 100 more cases of breast cancer for every 100,000 women.
Among women aged 20-29, however, being inactive would cause only 1 extra case of breast cancer in 100,000 women. Among these younger women, 4 women per 100,000 who are active could get breast cancer in the next year, while 5 women per 100,000 who are inactive could get breast cancer.
Of course, a healthy lifestyle should be maintained throughout life, not just when one’s underlying risk of disease crosses a certain threshold. But, understanding how absolute risk and relative risk interrelate can help women become better informed consumers of health information and use this knowledge to make informed decisions about the health choices in their lives.
Reading Relative Risks
Relative risks are presented in many ways. Here’s a brief guide to help you recognize a relative risk when you see it in the newspaper, hear it on the TV news or read it in on the Internet.
When a relative risk is between 1.0 and 1.99, as physical inactivity is, it might be presented in any of the following ways:
“Inactivity has a relative risk of 1.25.”
“Inactivity increases the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent.”
“Inactivity increases risk by 1.25-fold.”
When a relative risk is 2.0 or above, it is often presented in relation to how many times the risk is increased. If, for example, a factor has a relative risk of 3.0, it can also be stated as follows:
"Risk is increased 3 times."
"There is a 3-fold increase in risk."
When a relative risk is below 1.0, it means that the risk factor actually lowers the risk of disease. If, for example, a factor lowered the risk of breast cancer by 25 percent, it could also be stated as follows:
“The factor has a relative risk of 0.75.”
“This factor lowers risk by 25 percent.”
Monday, October 01, 2007
WARNING SIGNS OF BREAST CANCER
Warning Signs of Breast Cancer
Due to the increased use of mammography, most women are diagnosed at very early stages of breast cancer before symptoms appear. However, not every breast cancer is detected through mammography. The most common symptoms of breast cancer are a change in the look or feel of the breast, a change in the look or feel of the nipple and nipple discharge. These are described below:
Warning Signs of Breast Cancer
A change in the look or feel of the breast.
A change in the size or shape of the breast.
A lump or thickening in the breast, the area surrounding the breast or the underarm.
A warm sensation in the breast.
A change in the look or feel of the nipple.
A nipple turned inward or sunken into the breast.
The shape of the nipple becomes irregular.
A rash on the nipple or areola.
Nipple tenderness, increased sensitivity or pain.
Nipple discharge.
Blood or fluid other than breast milk secreted from the nipple.
A change in the look or feel of the skin on the breast, nipple or areola.
Dimpling of the skin on the breast (appears like the skin on an orange).
The appearance of irritated, red, scaly, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola.
Breast pain.
Although breast pain is usually associated with benign breast disease rather than breast cancer, it can be a symptom of either condition.
IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, SEE YOUR PHYSICIAN ASAP
Due to the increased use of mammography, most women are diagnosed at very early stages of breast cancer before symptoms appear. However, not every breast cancer is detected through mammography. The most common symptoms of breast cancer are a change in the look or feel of the breast, a change in the look or feel of the nipple and nipple discharge. These are described below:
Warning Signs of Breast Cancer
A change in the look or feel of the breast.
A change in the size or shape of the breast.
A lump or thickening in the breast, the area surrounding the breast or the underarm.
A warm sensation in the breast.
A change in the look or feel of the nipple.
A nipple turned inward or sunken into the breast.
The shape of the nipple becomes irregular.
A rash on the nipple or areola.
Nipple tenderness, increased sensitivity or pain.
Nipple discharge.
Blood or fluid other than breast milk secreted from the nipple.
A change in the look or feel of the skin on the breast, nipple or areola.
Dimpling of the skin on the breast (appears like the skin on an orange).
The appearance of irritated, red, scaly, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola.
Breast pain.
Although breast pain is usually associated with benign breast disease rather than breast cancer, it can be a symptom of either condition.
IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, SEE YOUR PHYSICIAN ASAP
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