Our glossary is an ongoing work in progress. Please let us know if there are words or phrases that you would like to have added here, or other changes you would suggest. It is here to help you.

Chemotherapy- chemotherapy refers to the use of cytotoxic chemicals that can be taken as a pill or injected into a muscle, but most commonly are injected into a vein. There are over 50 drugs that can be used to treat a variety of cancers, as well as occasionally some other diseases. They can stop cancer cells dividing and reproducing. They can also be taken up by healthy cells, but these cells will work to repair themselves when the cancerous cells cannot. However, the damage these drugs do to the healthy cells cause some unpleasant side effects, such as nausea and the loss of hair. These side effects tend to go away as the healthy cells recover, which is one of the reasons chemotherapy is delivered in a series of treatment sessions, otherwise known as a course of treatment. The rest periods in between give cells a chance to recover. The side effects are one of the reasons we recommend you ensure you are fully comfortable with chemotherapy as a course of treatment, and the other options open to you before going ahead. Be sure to fully discuss the options with your doctor, and ask them to discuss all the side effects with you, and what the expected outcomes will be for you, your cancer and overall health. If you go ahead, adopt a diet that will help you to cope well during the treatment, giving you all the nutrients you need to fight the disease and repair cells. Juiced fruit and vegetables can be particularly beneficial at this time.

Integrated care- an integrated approach to breast cancer recovery and prevention is what we recommend. It is an approach that takes into account your whole lifestyle- your diet, exercise and state of mind, as well as medical treatments and solutions.

Mammogram - mammograms are a screening tool used to detect breast cancer by medical professionals. The breast to be screened is placed on a flat screen while another is lowered over the top to compress the breast. Low doses of X-ray are then used to detect any unexpected masses, which could be cancerous. We recommend that unless a lump is detected, they are only used on women over 50 and are always scheduled within the first 14 days of a woman’s cycle.

Radiotherapy- is a highly targeted way to destroy cancerous cells through exposure to X-rays or radium. It can be administered using an external beam machine, or internally when radioactive seeds are surgically implanted into or on the area to be treated. It is effective because cancerous cells have turned off their ability to repair themselves. It is targeted thanks to the technology used which aims it at the cancerous cells. However, there can be some side effects such as sun burn feeling on the skin and ongoing fatigue. As with chemotherapy, this treatment should be discussed and considered with a medical professional. If you choose to go ahead with it, we recommend moderate exercise when you can to try and alleviate any associated fatigue.

Vitamin D – the skin naturally produces a form of vitamin D, known as cholecalciferol, when exposed to sunlight. Technically not a vitamin, vitamin D is actually a hormone that interacts with more than two thousand genes, about 10% of the human genome. Extensive research has implicated vitamin D deficiency (not getting enough of it) as a major factor in the pathology of at least 14 varieties of cancer, most notably breast and prostate cancer.