Category Archives: Cancer

10.31.17
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What Can Blood Tests Reveal?

blood tests

blood testsBlood tests help your physician discover potential underlying health issues. It is recommended to have a blood test done yearly in order to check levels. The question most of us have is “What are they looking for?”

What a blood test can tell you

An Enzyme test may be ordered. The enzyme levels will indicate disease or damage to organs such as kidneys and liver. This test is also helpful in adjusting medication levels.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)  is the most often ordered. It will take count of the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, iron, and platelets. It is used to diagnose infection, blood disorders, inflammation and even detects anemia (iron deficiency). It will show how well your thyroid, heart, and other organs are performing and if there is an infection such as HIV/AIDS where your body is working against itself in an autoimmune response.

Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)  This is run on the plasma in your blood. It measures electrolytes, minerals, glucose, and calcium and can detect issues like cancer, diabetes, bone disease and kidney disease.

These are all incredibly valuable tools diagnostically.  It is, however, important to note that all tests are fallible. If you get a positive for a major illness it is vital to do the test a second time to confirm before deciding on and proceeding with any form of treatment.

Whether you are looking for a specialist or a general practitioner if you are in the Lee County Florida area we would like to invite you to visit IPALC (Independent Physicians of Lee County) and use their FREE physician referral service www.ipalc.org/find.

10.04.17
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What is a Colposcopy?

Colposcopy

ColposcopyIf you have had a routine pap smear exam, which is suggested for women every three years, and it has come back repeatedly with a result of abnormal cells, your Gynecologist may suggest that you have a colposcopy done to further examine the situation and get a better gauge of your cervical health.

A colposcopy is a term used to describe a cervical biopsy. A tissue sample may be taken from either outside or inside the cervix, occasionally both are needed for the exam. A typical colposcopy takes only 10-15 minutes at the most.

What you will experience

Much like your yearly wellness exam or pap smear you will be asked to put on a paper gown and lay flat on the exam table, knees up, heels in the stirrups so the doctor can examine you. This position is necessary to be able to clearly see the cervix.

A speculum is inserted and a vinegar-like solution is used to wash the area to be biopsied. The physician will use an instrument called a colposcope (it looks like stand mounted binoculars attached to a light). It is used to examine you visually from several inches away. If at that time abnormal cells are visible a small biopsy is taken.

The colposcopy itself is nearly pain-free. Only the normal pressure of the speculum sliding in is felt and a possible slight sting of the vinegar solution. If you do need the actual biopsy expect slight discomfort. It is described as a sharp pinching which brings on a cramp like you have during a menstrual cycle. Bleeding and dark discharge is to be expected for the next 24 to 48 hours.

While it is often told to patients that they can simply return to work following the procedure, the fact is that this is actually a trauma to the body, however minor, some people do not feel so hot afterwards so if at all possible on the day you have this done, have the rest of the day off to go lay down and rest, just in case. With that said, many feel just fine afterward – it is just better to err on the side of caution.

Following a colposcopy do not have sex, use tampons or use any medication vaginally for a full 24 hours in order for the biopsied area to have time to heal. Your doctor’s office will let you know when the lab results are back and call you to let you know how to proceed based on the findings.

If you are in need of a gynecologist or oncologist in the Lee County, Florida area we invite you to utilize our free resource www.ipalc.org/find. It is a listing of Independent physicians in Lee County who provide the finest health care in Southwest Florida putting the value back in the doctor-patient relationship.

02.06.17
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Skin Cancer Micro Surgery – Mohs

If you have been diagnosed with basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma your doctor may suggest Mohs as a viable treatment option.

Mohs microsurgery may be recommended when:

  • The tumor is very large
  • Rapidly spreading cancers
  • The cancerous cells have come back
  • There is scar tissue in the area of the cancer cells
  • The tumor is large
  • The edges cannot be clearly defined
  • The cancer is in an area where function preservation is vital 

What is Mohs surgery?

This type of surgery is done with a microscope which allows surgeons to trace cancerous cells down to the very root, ensuring full removal. It is most widely utilized to treat basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.

Because of the precise nature of the surgery, it is the most minimally invasive allowing for less chance or scarring or disfigurement.

During the procedure

The surgeon will remove the tumor as well as a thin layer of tissue surrounding it. They will create a drawing of the removed area which can be used as a guide if any remaining cells need to be further removed.

If microscopic analysis still shows evidence of remaining cancer cells, the process then continues layer-by-layer until the cancerous cells are eradicated. 

The intent is to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible making the recovery as full as nature permits. Sometimes reconstructive surgery is necessary due to size or shape of removal.

Who are the surgeons who perform Mohs?

These surgeons specialize in both pathology and dermatology. They remove only the cancerous tissue leaving healthy cells untouched. This skill level minimizes the cosmetic impact of the surgery itself while increasing the likelihood of a positive outcome.

The cure rate using this technology is the highest among all skin cancer treatment procedures – up to 99% even when other treatments have previously failed.

Visit www.ipalc.org/find to locate a dermatological surgeon in Lee county, Florida.