Education For Healthy Life

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) can help with some symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, vagi-nal dryness, mood swings, and bone loss, but there are risks, too. For some women, taking hormones can increase their chances of having a heart attack or stroke. If you decide to use hormones, use them at the lowest dose that helps for the shortest time needed. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about MHT.

The patch is generally safe for young, healthy women. The patch can pose heart disease risks for some women, especially women older than 35; women with high blood pressure, dia-betes, or high cholesterol; and women who smoke.Recent studies show that women who use the patch may be exposed to more estrogen than women who use the birth control pill. Estrogen is the female hormone in birth control pills and the patch that keeps you from getting preg-nant. Research is underway to see if the risk for blood clots is higher in patch users. Blood clots can lead to heart attack or stroke. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about the patch.If you’re using the patch, watch for signs of trouble, including:

• Eye problems such as blurred or double vision 
• Pain in the upper body or arm 
• Bad headaches
• Problems breathing 
• Spitting up blood 
• Swelling or pain in the leg 
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes 
• Breast lumps 
• Unusual (not normal) heavy bleed-ing from your vagina

Taking birth control pills is generally safe for young, healthy women if they do not smoke. But birth control pills can pose heart disease risks for some women, especially women older than 35; women with high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol; and women who smoke. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about the pill.
If you're taking birth control pills, watch for signs of trouble, including:

• Eye problems such as blurred or double vision
• Pain in the upper body or arm
• Bad headaches
• Problems breathing
• Spitting up blood
• Swelling or pain in the leg
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes
• Breast lumps
• Unusual (not normal) heavy bleeding from your vagina

Biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that cancer is present, but only a biopsy can make a definite diagnosis. The sample removed from the biopsy is analyzed by a pathologist (a doctor who specializes in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose disease). A biopsy is specified by the technique and/or size of needle used to collect the tissue sample.

• A fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) uses a small needle to remove a small sample of cells.
• A core needle biopsy uses a larger needle to remove a larger sample of tissue. This is usually the preferred biopsy technique for determining whether a physical exam or imaging finding is cancer. A vacuum-assisted biopsy removes multiple large cores of tissue.

An MRI uses magnetic fields, not x-rays, to produce detailed images of the body. A contrast medium (a special dye) may be injected into a patient’s vein to create a clearer picture.

An MRI may be used once a woman has been diagnosed with cancer to check the other breast for cancer, but the benefit of this is questionable. It may also be used for screening. According to the American Cancer Society, women at high risk for breast cancer (for example, women with BRCA gene mutations or a strong family history of breast cancer) should receive MRI screening along with a mammogram.

MRI is often better than mammography and ultrasound at finding a small mass in a woman’s breast, especially for women with very dense breast tissue. However, an MRI has the risk of having a higher rate of false-positive test results (a test result that indicates cancer when there is no cancer present) and may result in more biopsies and other tests. In addition, an MRI does not show calcifications, which could indicate in situ breast cancer (DCIS). Talk with your doctor for more information.