Given contemporary advances in medicine, there are many different types of treatments for breast cancer available. A lot of those treatments will be multi-modal, and a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Each individual case is unique, and will require an individualized plan of care. Surgery is often recommended if the brain tumor is located within an area that is easily accessible. It depends on the type of brain tumor, but in some cases the tumors are small and not encompassing any other structures, so it will be easier to remove from the surrounding brain tissues. In other cases, the tumor has invaded many other structures and is stuck to the surrounding brain tissue. If this is the case, then surgery alone will not be sufficient to eradicate the cancer. Sometimes, some of the brain may have to be removed to ensure that the tumor is completely eradicated. However, at this point, it is a decision between the patient and physician to determine what is appropriate. All the risks and benefits of the surgery must be discussed beforehand, so that all expectations are realistic. Radiation therapy may be recommended as palliative/symptom alleviation or as a combination therapy. In radiation therapy, high-energy beams focus to kill tumor cells.

The treatment of infertility will be based on the underlying cause. If the cause is secondary to hormonal imbalances, then the hormones must be re-balanced before the patient will be able to conceive. Other factors that contribute to the treatment of infertility include how long the patient has been infertile, the age of the patient’s within the couple and the current toxins/environmental influences. In some instances, infertility is permanent and cannot be reversed. The easiest treatment is to simply change one’s lifestyle. Change the things that can be controlled by one’s self. For example, stopping tobacco and alcohol, returning to a healthier diet and exercising an appropriate amount. Altering your lifestyle will also include understanding and acknowledging when you are ovulating and having intercourse within that window of time. This can help increase the likelihood of becoming pregnant. For men, there are certain medications that can contribute to the patient’s low sperm count that should be discontinued. There are also medications that can actually increase a man’s sperm count. Those medications can improve testicular function and improve sperm quality and quantity, thus improving the chance of conception. In women, treatment for infertility secondary to an-ovulation would be to stimulate ovulation.

Infertility is pretty self-explanatory as far as signs/symptoms go, with the most common symptom being that the patient is unable to conceive.  Females may begin to notice irregular menses, or loss of menses altogether.  It is important that any female concerned about infertility, be diligent in charting their menses and any changes that they observe so that they can report that to their physician in order to better determine the specific cause of their individual infertility.  Men who experience infertility will experience symptoms if the cause of the infertility is a result of per-testicular factors that result from abnormalities in the hypothalamus-pituitary axis.  If the male patient has an independent illness then symptoms such as changes in hair growth or sexual libido may manifest.  Otherwise, many men will not experience any symptoms associated with infertility. Diagnosis of Infertility: In order to get a definitive diagnosis of infertility, it is imperative to get a proper workup from your physician. Both individuals within the couple must be evaluated to ensure that the proper therapies be initiated once infertility is diagnosed. There are many different tests for men to rule out infertility. First, the patient should undergo a proper physical examination by a board-certified physician.

Infertility affects approximately 10-15% of today’s population. It is a growing issue that many couples face when trying to start their family. The medical definition of infertility is a failure to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse. It is imperative to determine the source of infertility in order to address the cause so that it can be resolved. It is a common misconception that the female of the reproductive-aged couple is the one responsible for infertility. In many cases, the infertility is in the male partner. It is important to evaluate both partners in order to determine the, in most cases correctable, a cause of infertility. Factors That Influence Female Infertility In order to better understand female infertility, it is important to understand the anatomy of a female. The reproductive tract begins with the vagina, which is connected to the uterus. The beginning of the uterus is known as the cervix. The uterus is then connected to a left and right fallopian tube, which then have fimbriae which surround the left and right ovary. Each month the female will undergo ovulation. Ovulation is when an egg has become mature and is released from either the right or the left ovary.

The Cheek Swab vs. Blood Testing for DNA debate has been around for a while. Most of the conversation surrounds issues of quality, but there are a number of other important factors to consider as well. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) testing is a technology used to test for a variety of reasons including testing for medical history, verifications of identity (mother, father, sibling, etc.), and to study ancestry. No matter what your reasons are for obtaining a DNA test, you are going to be as interested in how the test is conducted and how accurate those results are going to be. Not all swab tests are the same There are a variety of different methods for collecting saliva for DNA samples. These methods include dry and wet sample procedures. Dry procedures require the donor to insert a buccal swab or other collection devices into the mouth, where tissue is scraped from the gum and cheek surfaces.  One of the challenges with this method is that if not done correctly, the sample may become contaminated with bacteria from the patient’s teeth and other surfaces. Wet procedures include swishing liquids in the mouth (before the swab) and spitting them into a collecting vessel.