Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Lyme Disease And Breast Cancer

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How Do These Pathogens/genes/exposures Cause The Disease

Breast Cancer Survivor – Ashley’s Envita Review

The tick injects the spirochete into the skin, which results in local inflammation and the typical erythema migrans rash. Subsequent dissemination through the bloodstream can lead to invasion of multiple different tissues by the organism, including, heart, synovium, and the central nervous system. The bacteria do not produce exotoxins. The inflammatory response results in disease.

Congenital Lyme disease has not been documented. Person-to-person transmission does not occur. Lyme disease cannot be transmitted through breast-feeding.

Breast Cancer: How Your Mind Can Help Your Body

Emotional turmoil in response to a diagnosis of breast cancer can affect a persons physical health as well as psychological well-being.

Breast cancer: How your mind can help your body.

According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 230,000 women in the United States learn that they have breast cancer each year.1 Because many of them have no family history of breast cancer or other known risk factors, the diagnosis often comes as a devastating surprise. The emotional turmoil that results can affect womens physical health as well as their psychological well-being.

This question and answer fact sheet explains how psychological treatment can help these women harness the healing powers of their own minds.

Effect Of B Burgdorferi On The Motility Of Breast Epithelial Cells

The migration rates of the B. burgdorferi-infected epithelial cells were analyzed using a standard wound healing assay and compared to uninfected cells. The highest change in the rate of migration was observed for the 48 h B. burgdorferi infected MCF 10A and MDA-MB-231 cells, 6 h after the wound was induced . For MCF 10A cells, the 48 h B. burgdorferi infected cells showed an approximate 10% increase in the rate of migration after 6 h of inducing the wound, while the non-infected MCF 10A cells also showed an approximate 10% increase in migration to close the wound . On the other hand, the 48 h B. burgdorferi infected MDA-MB-231 showed a significant 48% wound recovery while the uninfected cells showed a 27% change in the rate of migration after 6 h of inducing the wound .

Wound Healing Assay of B. burgdorferi infected cells. I. MCF 10A and II. MDA-MB-231 cells after 48 h of infection and 6 h recovery. uninfected versus B. burgdorferi infected cells. The cells were infected for 48 h with B. burgdorferi and then a wound was induced cell migration was assessed after an additional 6 h as described in Material and Methods.

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Getting Tested For Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed or entirely missed at early stages. As mentioned above, this can allow the disease to develop into more severe and/or chronic Lyme disease down the road. This is why its so important to get an accurate diagnosis as early as possible.

There are a few factors that influence a persons ability to get a reliable diagnosis. One is the timing of the test. Because even the most accurate Lyme disease tests detect antibodies, not the pathogens themselves, its important not to get tested too early after possible exposure. If you test too early with conventional tests, you may not have enough antibodies yet, and the test results could be negative even though you do have an infection. However, there are tests that specialize in early detection IGeneX offers one, the IgXSpot test.

Its also important to recognize that there are at least 18 distinct types of Borrelia that cause Lyme disease, and if your test is only designed to detect one or two types which is unfortunately all too common it will miss infections caused by other types. The most accurate tests for Lyme disease are designed to detect all the different types of Lyme disease bacteria found in North America and Europe.

To learn more about what makes certain types of Lyme disease tests more reliable than others, read IGeneXs blog on the most accurate test for Lyme disease.

Can a tick be tested for disease?

University Of New Haven Professor Makes Great Strides In Lyme Disease Cancer Research

Lyme Disease Awareness Curvy Ribbon Magnet

An internationally recognized expert on Lyme disease, Eva Sapi, Ph.D., has made groundbreaking discoveries in the lab that have shed light on the bacteria that cause the disease, as well as a possible link between Lyme disease and another largely unknown and increasingly common illness: breast cancer.

Eva Sapi, Ph.D., has long been on the front lines in the search for a cure for Lyme disease a disease that she herself contracted several years ago.

Director of the Universitys Lyme Disease Research Group, Dr. Sapi is an internationally recognized expert on the disease, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, and it is typically spread by ticks.

Dr. Sapi has spoken with media across the country, including CNN, warning of a perfect storm this year for Lyme disease, given the COVID-19 pandemic and the mild winter that, she says, contributed to a bad year for ticks.

A trained breast cancer researcher, Dr. Sapi spent 15 years conducting breast and ovarian cancer research at Yale University before shifting her focus to Lyme disease. These two research areas may be linked more closely than previously thought, and she is currently exploring a possible link between breast cancer and Lyme disease.

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When Should You See A Doctor If You Think You Have Lyme

The rash is a pretty good indication that you may have been bitten. Take a photo of the rash and see your doctor. At this stage, treatment with antibiotics will probably work.

If you don’t have the rash but have symptoms like fatigue, fever, and headache but no respiratory symptoms like a cough, you may want to talk to your doctor.

Antibiotics Are The Only Known Effective Treatment For Lyme Disease

When diagnosed and treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of Lyme disease, patients often recover quickly and completely. Patients who are treated in the later stages of the disease tend to require longer-term antibiotics, including intravenous antibiotics. They also may incur long-term damage to their joints or nervous system.

Following treatment, many patients may continue to experience some symptoms of the disease for a period of time. In some cases, symptoms can last for six months or longer. The International Lyme and Associated Disease Society states that without proper treatment, people with chronic Lyme disease may experience ongoing symptomssuch as severe fatigue, anxiety, headaches, and joint painresulting in a poorer quality of life than patients with diabetes or a heart condition.

As with any illness, early detection and treatment of Lyme disease is important. If you suspect that you or a loved one may have contracted it, consult with your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

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How Does Lyme Disease Promote Cancer Formation

According to Dr. Prato, patients with Lyme disease are likely to be susceptible to cancer as it can directly or indirectly promote all three of the deadly mechanisms that help cancer formation and growth:1, 2

#1 Inflammation

Lyme disease and the many viral, fungal, parasitic, and bacterial infections that tend to be passed along with it by ticks cause inflammation levels to rise in our body by releasing multiple toxins, thereby helping cancer cells to grow and spread. These toxins further act to shut down our bodys defense mechanisms, making us more susceptible to cancer. Inflammation also increases oxidative stress, damaging our bodys cells and DNA, again potentially resulting in cancer.

#2 Immune System Suppression

Lyme and its co-infections can severely depress our immune system, making our body more susceptible to viral infections which can cause cancer-promoting alterations in our cellular DNA. Lyme disease and its co-infections also place a huge burden on our immune system, compromising it and making our body susceptible to opportunistic infections that further depress our immune system.

Normally, a healthy immune system identifies and destroys countless cancer cells in our body every day, usually before they get a chance to reproduce. However, when our immune system is compromised by Lyme and its partner infections, it becomes unable to rid our body of these abnormally growing cells.

#3 Mutations in Cellular DNA

Lyme Disease Can Live In Your Lymph Nodes Causing Swelling

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Lymphoadenopathy duringLyme Borreliosis is a correlation that doctors are still exploring in depth.Simply put, Lymphoadenopathy is the swelling of the lymph nodes. LymeBorreliosis is the scientific term for Lyme disease, and so the phrasedemarcates the tendency for the lymph nodes to swell when a person hascontracted Lyme. Studies show that Lyme actuallymakes a home for itself in a persons lymph nodes,which triggers an immune reaction, sending the immune system into attack modeto protect the body and commonly leading to swelling.

Often called The GreatImitator, Lyme disease doesnt stop here when it comes to inciting reactionsfrom the body that are difficult to attribute specifically to Lyme . As researchers at University ofCalifornia, Davis, report: B. burgdorferi have apparently struck anintricate balance that allows the bacteria to both provoke and elude theanimals immune response. It is this cycle oftriggering an immune response but not being eradicated, only to trigger theresponse again, that might explain why some peoples Lyme disease becomes achronic illness.

Also Check: Neurologist Specializing In Lyme Disease

What Are The Possible Outcomes Of This Disease

The outcomes of treatment of patients with Lyme disease are excellent, with virtually all patients making a full recovery. The most common reason for failure of treatment is misdiagnosis: the patient did not have Lyme disease. Treatment is generally safe and highly effective. Families should be cautioned about the large amount of inaccurate information about Lyme disease, which can be frightening, on the Internet.

What To Do If You Think Youve Contracted Lyme Disease

If you think youve contracted Lyme disease, itsessential to consult a medical professional right away. Because chronic Lyme isdifficult to diagnose, it is important to make sure that the physician youchoose is Lyme-literate that is, that they are familiar with The GreatImitator, and are open to working with you based on the symptoms that youreport to explore all the treatment options possible.

Also Check: Images Of Ticks That Carry Lyme Disease

What Is Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is an infection caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. Its carried by ticks and transmitted to humans when an infected tick bites you. Common symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and muscle and joint aches. You may also see a characteristic ring-shaped skin rash. Lyme disease isnt a sexually transmitted disease and you cant get it from contact with another person.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , an estimated 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported each year, and the vast majority of cases come from 14 states, including Virginia. However, the disease reaches every state in the U.S. Plus, with changing climate conditions, ticks can thrive in many more geographical locations.

A What Is The Differential Diagnosis For This Problem

May is Lyme Disease Awareness month
  • Tick bite: non-deer tick bite, brown recluse spider bite, other arthropod bite.
  • Erythema migrans: tick hypersensitivity reaction , erythema multiforme , cellulitis , spider bite .
  • Fever, myalgia, arthralgia: co-infections , other viral infections. Prominent respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms are atypical of Lyme disease.
  • Cranial nerve palsies: herpes simplex or varicella zoster-virus associated facial nerve palsy, idiopathic facial nerve palsy.
  • Myocarditis: rheumatic fever .
  • Meningitis/encephalomyelitis: syphilis, viral or bacterial infections.
  • Chronic Lyme disease: chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia, which tend to produce more generalized and disabling symptoms, and have been present for a longer period of time. These patients usually have a higher degree of anxiety and depression.
  • Arthritis: reactive arthritis , juvenile rheumatoid arthritis , other inflammatory conditions.

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Bartonella Emerging Pathogen In Breast Cancer

From: Cancer Research

Several bacterial infections promote cell proliferation and could increase the rate of cell transformation. Bartonella spp. is an emerging pathogen that can cause conditions which are characterized by the development of proliferative lesions. Bartonella might cause vasculoproliferative disorders by triggering the proliferation of endothelial cells and inducing the secretion of proliferative cytokines from infected host cells. It cause persistent infection of erythrocytes and endothelial cells in their mammalian hosts and their transmission occur mainly by blood-sucking arthropods. Bartonella are Gram-negative bacteria usually associated with cat-scratch disease, urban trench fever, bacillary angiomatosis-peliosis and endocarditis. Some reports have showed some similarities between cat scratch disease and inflammatory breast cancer .

  • I too developed breast cancer after Bartonella infection a known link.

    I treated with dendritic cell vaccine and mastectomy the vaccines cured my cancer and my Lyme!

  • Still Sick In The Fall Of 2015

    I came back to doctor Rahbars office to find my hormones, thyroid, and adrenals were all plummeting . By that point, I was bedridden most days and my iron had dropped so low that I had to start having iv iron infusions. Average iron ferritin levels are around 100 and mine was at a 7.

    I took the Igenex Lyme disease test. My test came back positive with Borrelia , with co-infections Bartonella and Babesia .

    I have no idea how I contracted Lyme disease.

    I dont remember a tick.

    I dont remember any type of bite or bullseye rash anywhere on my body.

    I started thinking back to when I could have contracted it. Trying to make sense of things. I did have ongoing bladder problems, weird zap things occasionally in my brain, was tired all the time, and started cutting back on things that I would typically really enjoy. The best I could come up with is tracing it back to when my friends and I would hike at Temescal Canyon in the Santa Monica mountains around 2009. The ticks can be the size of poppy seeds so I could have had one on me and had no idea. I always just wore tank tops and cropped leggings. No one ever told me the danger of ticks and that I should be more covered up on hikes.

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    What Are The Stages Of Lyme Infection

    There are three stages:

    • Early localized Lyme: Flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and a rash that looks like a bull’s-eye or is round and red and at least 2 inches long
    • Early disseminated Lyme: Flu-like symptoms like pain, weakness, or numbness in your arms and legs, changes in your vision, heart palpitations and chest pain, a rash , and a type of facial paralysis known as Bellâs palsy
    • Late disseminated Lyme: This can happen weeks, months, or years after the tick bite. Symptoms might include arthritis, severe fatigue and headaches, dizziness, trouble sleeping, and confusion.

    About 10% of people treated for Lyme infection donât shake the disease. They may go on to have three core symptoms: joint or muscle pain, fatigue, and short-term memory loss or confusion. This is called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. It can be hard to diagnose because it has the same symptoms as other diseases. Plus, there isn’t a blood test to confirm it.

    Experts arenât sure why Lyme symptoms donât always go away. One theory is that your body keeps fighting the infection even after the bacteria are gone, like an autoimmune disorder.

    Can Psychological Treatment Help The Body Too

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    Absolutely. Take the nausea and vomiting that often accompany chemotherapy, for example. For some women, these side effects can be severe enough to make them reject further treatment efforts. Psychologists can teach women relaxation exercises, meditation, self-hypnosis, imagery, or other skills that can effectively relieve nausea without the side effects of pharmaceutical approaches.

    Psychologists can also empower women to make more informed choices in the face of often-conflicting advice and can help them communicate more effectively with their health care providers. In short, psychologists can help women become more fully engaged in their own treatment. The result is an enhanced understanding of the disease and its treatment and a greater willingness to do what needs to be done to get well again.

    Psychological treatment may even boost womens chances of survival. In one study, for instance, a was associated with longer survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer.4

    Read Also: Signs And Symptoms Of Lyme Disease Mayo Clinic

    How Do You Get Lyme Disease

    Lyme disease is usually transferred to humans through a tick bite. Both wood ticks and deer ticks can transmit Lyme disease, as well as a dozen other tick-borne illnesses.

    The Lyme spirochete is transferred from the ticks gut to the host through the tick saliva. The spirochete will initially infect the local area, but can quickly spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream.

    But ticks arent the only hosts for Lyme disease. Flies, mosquitoes, fleas, and even spiders CAN transmit Lyme disease . Lyme disease can also be transmitted sexually, congenitally , and through blood transfusions.

    You can read more on how to prevent tick bites and what to do if youre bitten in this blog.

    Tick Bite And Transmission Of Pathogens

    The vectors of B. burgdorferi s.l. are hard ticks of the genus Ixodes. The active developmental stages of larva, nymph and adult female each take a single blood meal. The adult male tick may take sporadic small meals. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. is taken up with the blood when the tick, usually a larva or a nymph, feeds on an infected reservoir host. The spirochaete locates in the midgut of the tick and is transmitted by the next tick stage when it feeds on another vertebrate host, which can include man. The adult female is usually a dead end for B. burgdorferi s.l. because transovarial transmission is rare . The blood meal is a stimulus for B. burgdorferi s.l. to detach from the epithelium of the midgut of the tick, enter the haemolymph and migrate to the salivary glands. Blood meal results in an upregulation of surface proteins such as OspC, DbpA, DbpB and P66, and downregulation of OspA and OspB. The borreliae are then transmitted to the host with the saliva. Factors contained in tick saliva enhance the survival of the bacteria by attenuating the local immune response at the site of the tick bite, and co-feeding apparently increases the frequency of OspC variants . Strategies to overcome complement attacks play an important part in the immune evasion of borreliae . Borrelia bind to a variety of host tissue components such as plasmin and factor H, which may facilitate the tissue invasion process .

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