YOU may see new NHS adverts urging you to attend your breast- cancer screening.
It’s the first time the NHS has done such a campaign.
Dr Zoe Williams helps Sun readers with their health concerns[/caption]
Breast cancer screening has reached 70 per cent uptake for the first time in five years, which is great news.
But there is always room for improvement – had 80 per cent been met, an estimated 2,029 additional breast cancers would have been found, says the charity Breast Cancer Now.
It appears those invited for the first time are among the least likely to attend.
Women are automatically invited for breast screening between the ages of 50 and 53, and then every three years until the age of 71.
So look out for your invitation and make sure you attend, because it could be the difference between getting an early diagnosis – when you are more treatable – and not.
Here’s a selection of what readers have asked me this week . . .
Why have I got that shrinking feeling?
This reader is concerned by their shrinking stature – along with other aches and pains[/caption]
Q) MY height has reduced significantly, by up to three inches.
I used to be able to close the window but now I need a stool.
My body easily aches and I suffer pains, but I’m only 60. It makes me worry about the future of my health.
A) A small amount of height loss is normal past the age of 40.
But it’s only expected that people lose about half an inch every ten years before acceleration after age 70.
Weaker muscles can affect posture, while the flattening of foot arches and loss of cartilage can also mean we become shorter. But loss of bone is an important cause of height loss that must be addressed.
I’m talking about osteoporosis, which would be the most likely reason a woman of your age could be losing significant height.
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes them to become fragile.
It develops slowly over time and there may not be any symptoms until a bone breaks, for example the hip or wrist when falling.
But as well as this, osteoporosis can cause the spinal bones (vertebrae) to collapse on themselves, a bit like a cardboard box with too much weight put on it, and this causes loss of height.
It tends to also be associated with developing a hunched-over appearance of the upper spine – and it can cause pain, but not always.
If you think this might be your problem, it’s important to be assessed for osteoporosis because it can be treated to prevent the spine from shortening any further and to protect you from other fractures.
Menopause is a major cause of osteoporosis.
A healthy diet and muscle-strengthening exercises can go some way towards protecting us from osteoporosis.
CANNOT STOP ITCHING
Q) I am 78 and have been plagued by itchy skin for nearly three months.
It’s not healing and is worse at night. How can I break the cycle?
I am seeing my GP again in two weeks’ time and am waiting for a blood test.
If there is no real improvement by then, should I request a dermatology referral?
I am using eczema creams and only take tamsulosin (an alpha blocker, for enlarged prostate, prostatitis and kidney stones) every other day.
A) Itching of the skin (pruritus) can be a very distressing symptom, so much so that some people would choose pain over itch.
When itching is widespread it is important to check for systemic illness, hence the blood tests.
Diseases that can cause pruritus include those of the liver, kidneys and thyroid, as well as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and certain cancers.
A skin disease could be to blame too – you can be diagnosed with conditions like eczema at any age.
Eczema, a term that covers many conditions that cause inflammation to the skin, is sometimes described as “the itch that rashes” because it starts with an itch and scratching creates the rash.
You haven’t described a rash or shown any pictures, but the distribution of a rash can also give clues to the diagnosis.
For example, atopic eczema tends to affect the insides of the elbows and knees, and places like the neck, while contact eczema tends to affect areas of skin that have been in contact with a certain substance that is causing an allergic reation (allergen).
Asteatotic eczema is more common in older adults and occurs as a result of dry skin.
It’s not uncommon for an itch to be more bothersome at night as this is when we have fewer distractions and our body produces fewer natural steroid hormones, which can dampen down allergy-type symptoms.
It’s worth mentioning that tamsulosin can cause skin reactions as a side effect, which would be important to consider if the start of the itch problem coincided with commencing this medication.
If your GP is unable to suggest anything that provides relief then a referral to dermatology should be the next step.
Another reader is concerned about a long wait for tests after ongoing stomach pain and nausea[/caption]
Q) FOR years, I have been on lansoprazole for acid reflux.
About 18 months ago, I developed different symptoms – gnawing pain in the upper abdomen, feeling sick and tightness under the breasts.
I felt better when I ate for a short time. Famotidine helped, but only for a few months. It is starting to really get me down.
As I had no “red flag” symptoms, I was refused an endoscopy. The GP referred me again.
I’m waiting on a Cytosponge, but it will be about six months.
A) Upper abdominal pain that is alleviated by eating is most commonly associated with a peptic ulcer, which can either be in the stomach or the first part of the small intestine (duodenum).
When food enters the stomach, it can temporarily neutralise the stomach acid, and this is why there can be a short-lived improvement of symptoms in some people.
In others, eating aggravates the pain and they experience their worst symptoms in the few hours that follow.
Your description of “gnawing pain” and nausea would also fit, and the fact that famotidine (which reduces acid in the stomach) improved things for a while would also support this diagnosis.
A common cause is H. pylori infection – have you been tested by your GP? The other common cause is using medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin and SSRI antidepressants.
Smoking, alcohol consumption and stress may also contribute to the development of peptic ulcer disease.
NICE guidelines state that endoscopy is not required unless there are certain warning signs, such as evidence of bleeding or a mass.
The guidelines are different for adults over 55. A referral should be made here if there is weight loss, anaemia, high platelets or symptoms do not respond to treatment.
The Cytosponge primarily samples cells from the oesophagus.
It does test for peptic ulcers as well as a condition called Barrett’s oesophagus, caused by reflux.
It’s a good idea to have a blood test to check full blood count and rule out liver or pancreas disease, and consider trying a PPI medication to reduce stomach acid production.
Tip of the week
IF you are feeling stressed, perhaps watching television in the evening isn’t the best way for you to unwind.
Try reading a relaxing book or magazine in a quiet place or indulging in a scented, candle-lit bath.
Taking an evening yoga class might also help to improve your mood.
BREAST CANCER SURGE
BREAST cancer deaths and cases will surge by 2050, experts predict.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization, analysed future breast cancer rates in more than 50 countries worldwide.
The findings estimate cases will rise by 21 per cent in the UK, from 58,756 per year in 2022 to 71,006 per year in 2050.
It predicts deaths in the UK will rise by 42 per cent, from 12,122 a year to 17,261. Researchers suggest rising and ageing populations are to blame.
Getting older is the major risk factor for any type of cancer, largely caused by cell DNA damage accumulating over time.
Around 23 per cent of breast cancer cases in the UK are thought to be preventable.
Eight per cent of cases are caused by obesity and eight per cent by drinking too much alcohol, Cancer Research UK says.
The study, published in Nature Medicine, found that, on average, one in 20 women worldwide will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and one in 70 will die from it.
Dr Joanne Kim, one of the report authors, said countries needed to work on preventing cancer as well as investing in early cancer detection and treatment.
She said: “Every minute, four women are diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide and one woman dies from the disease, and these statistics are worsening.”
Melatonin may be key
NIGHT shift workers can reduce their cancer risk by taking melatonin, scientists say.
The sleep hormone occurs naturally to help the body prepare for sleep.
But previous research has shown that its night-time production is suppressed in people who work night shifts, which may have health implications.
The Canadian study involved 40 workers who had been doing night shifts for at least six months.
Half were given a 3mg melatonin pill to take daily before their daytime sleep, while the other half took a placebo.
Urine samples were collected to measure levels of 8-OHdG, a marker of DNA repair capacity, before and after the four-week trial.
The results, published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, showed that those taking melatonin saw an 80 per cent increase in 8-OHdG levels during daytime sleep, indicating better DNA repair.
However, there was no significant difference in DNA repair during their subsequent night shifts.
Melatonin plays a key role in repairing oxidative DNA damage – without proper repair, this damage can increase the risk of certain cancers.
Study author Dr Parveen Bhatti said: “Our randomised placebo-controlled trial suggested melatonin supplementation may improve oxidative DNA damage repair capacity among night shift workers.”
