A Metaphysical Perspective on Breast Cancer

Cancer : A Metaphysical Perspective on Breast Cancer
by: Catherine Poole

We all see the Susan G. Kolman pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness. I would like to address breast cancer from the metaphysical perspective. Breasts are directly linked to nurturing -as is the color pink. Breasts also represent mothering, whether of our children, our family, our spouse or the world in general. Issues with the breasts, whether experienced by a man or a woman, indicate insecurity about our ability to provide for others or protect them.

Both my mother and her mother learned from breast cancer. They both experienced cancer in the right breast; which I will explain in a moment. Breast disorders can also occur when you tend to ask too much of yourself and then feel that you cannot deliver to everyone’s satisfaction. According to Lisa Bourbeau in her book “Your Body is Telling You Love Yourself!” “If you are right handed, the right breast is linked to your partner, your family or those close to you. Your left breast is linked more closely with your child, your inner child. If your left hand is dominant the opposite is true.

In my experiences, I have found that the left breast can indicate issues to do with care giving, nurturing, motherly type feelings. The left side of the body is the feminine side, and also addresses receiving. When lessons in cancer develop on the left side first, then it is time to examine attitudes that deal with those areas in your life.

I find that many women, including my mother and grandmother, develop lessons in their right breasts after a period of stress created by care giving. When I speak, I often explain that cancer is based on deep issues of guilt or resentment; much anger is accumulated within those cells. In the case of breast cancer I have discovered that the high ration among caregivers is neither due to resenting the care giving nor resenting those you are caring for. Cancer is linked to the guilt one places on self due to the RELIEF felt after the death, however brief there is still a sense of relief when one we love transitions. I receive many reactions to this perception, but through many years of spiritual counseling as well at my own experiences I believe in the importance to recognize and release this understandable human reaction.

The right also represents how we present our self to the world (masculine or “man’s world” issues. When a male spouse transitions, we assume the role of being in charge, hence the relationship with masculine energies. Right is also about releasing and issues of letting go, so that is to be examined as well.

Understanding that the breast is about nurturing and nourishment, I look at issues of mother initially regardless of which side issues such as cysts or tumors manifest. There is a direct correlation with the way you were mothered and issues developed in the breasts (this is true for me or for women). Rather than pushing yourself in order to “forget about it”or on the other end of the spectrum lamenting about what you are going through, stop and objectively begin to realize that you weren’t put on this earth to protect and feed everyone you love! It is about caring and loving self first. I equate this to the oxygen mask on the airplane, you must assist yourself first in order to be of help to anyone else.

If others ask you for help and it is within your power to help, don’t hesitate. But do it with love, joy and pleasure. Not out of a sense of obligation or with resentment. If helping at a given time is beyond your limitations in any way or you just don’t want to do it, admit it both to yourself and to them and allow yourself to step back. It is OK to say “no”.

I often tell clients, and practice this myself, the only way to gain control of your life is to let go! Your maternal love and basic nurturing will always be there to sustain those you love without your feeling obliged to be actively (s)mothering them.

About The Author :
Catherine Poole http://www.catherinepoole.com offers her unique services as a Medical Intuitive to help provide insight for individuals seeking to understand the "why" of their present circumstances or illness. She is the Metaphysical Director of Integrated Health Concepts, which she co-founded with James H. Schrenker, M.D. in 2004. She has presented her color expertise in workshops and seminars on the uses and effects of color in contexts such as advertising, packaging design, art therapy, healthcare, and workplaces

Obese Women At Greater Risk Of More Aggresive Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer : Obese Women At Greater Risk Of More Aggresive Breast Cancer

Women with breast cancer have more aggressive disease and lower survival rates if they are overweight or obese, according to findings published in the March 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"The more obese a patient is, the more aggressive the disease," said Massimo Cristofanilli, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "We are learning that the fat tissue may increase inflammation that leads to more aggressive disease."

Cristofanilli and colleagues observed 606 women with locally advanced breast cancer. These women were classified by body mass index into the following three groups: normal/underweight (24.9 or below), overweight (at least 25 but less than 30) or obese (more than 30). Body mass index is calculated by dividing a person's weight by their height.

At five years, overall survival was 56.8 percent among obese women, 56.3 percent among overweight women and 67.4 percent among normal weight women. The 10-year survival rate was 42.7 percent among obese women, 41.8 percent among overweight women and 56.5 percent among normal weight women.

The rate of inflammatory breast cancer, previously shown to have worse outcomes than non-inflammatory breast cancer, among obese women was 45 percent compared with 30 percent in overweight women and only 15 percent in women considered normal weight, researchers found.

Risk of breast cancer recurrence was also higher in obese or overweight women. By five years, 50.8 percent of obese women reported a recurrence compared with 38.5 percent of normal weight women. By 10 years, the rate of recurrence was 58 percent among obese women and 45.4 percent among normal weight women.

"Obesity goes far beyond just how a person looks or any physical strain from carrying around extra weight. Particular attention should be paid to our overweight patients," Cristofanilli said.
Cristofanilli said physicians need to pay close attention to breast cancer patients because commonly used drugs, such as tamoxifen, tend to increase weight gain during treatment.

"We have actually become quite good at managing acute side effects such as nausea in our chemotherapy patients and it goes away within a couple of days," Cristofanilli said.

"Following the nausea, our patients tend to overeat, which further increases their risk of weight gain. We need to implement lifestyle modifications interventions and develop better methods to follow these patients closely."

---Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.---

The study was funded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Nellie B. Connally Fund for Breast Cancer Research and the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Group

Breast Cancer

Occurs when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control enabling them to invade nearby tissues or spread throughout the body. Collections of these out of control tissues are called tumors. However, not all breast tumors are considered cancerous since certain types of large cells just cannot be spread or threaten a person’s life and this kind of tumor is called benign tumor. On the other hand, the tumors that can spread all throughout the body or invade nearby tissues are considered cancerous cells and are malignant. Cancer cells usually comes from either ducts or glands in the breast that is why it may take months or even years for a tumor to be notice in the breast. Breast tumors are screened with the use of mammograms that are rather accurate in screening tumor or cancer cells.

Women are much prone to develop breast cancer that men. Only 1% to 2% of men have been known to have cases of breast cancer. The early onset of menstruation in women at the age of 12 increases the risk for a breast cancer on the other hand an early menopausal period may reduce the risk of breast cancer. The risk for women to have breast cancer increases with age in fact a study shows that women over 50 are more likely to develop breast cancer. Nevertheless, the incidence of breast cancer among younger women is also increasing in an alarming rate that is why more women of ages 20s to 30s have subjected themselves to be diagnosed. Breast cancer is not only acquired but also can be inherited. For women who have genetic mutation such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 has an 80% risk of developing breast cancer. Women who have first-degree relative diagnosed to have breast cancer increase their risk of also acquiring breast cancer. Moreover, women with first-degree relative that are diagnosed to have breast cancer before menopause increase the risk for them in acquiring breast cancer.

Some factors contribute to the occurrence of breast cancer and these are as follows: smoking, alcohol and radiation exposure. Women who are smoking will increase their chances to have breast cancer. Aside from that, high intakes of alcohol have been found to be a source of breast cancer. Radiation exposure is another factor that contributes to breast cancer. Studies have shown that women as well as children who have undergone high-dose radiation therapy have a much higher chance of having breast cancer.

About the author: Khloe Penelope
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