Though the prom is mostly a distant memory for me, I can recall with vivid detail the feeling that it was the crowning achievement of my life and though I've since had much more definitive moments, at that time it was everything. As someone who had a pretty typical upbringing, I can't imagine what it would be like going through that stage of teenage angst with cancer. My biggest problem was finding a dress, while others are wondering how they will get through the night after a round of chemo.

I find this story of a group of teens with cancer and their opportunity to attend the prom inspiring and simultaneuosly heartwarming and heartbreaking. Armed with wheelchairs and life-saving machines, they posed for pictures, danced and mingled with fellow cancer survivors, and for one night at least they had a chance at normalcy, a chance to worry about finding a dance partner and keeping their make-up fresh instead of worrying about the fight for their life.

Should teenagers and their parents or legal guardians be able to decide on what treatments they would rather use to fight cancer? A judge in Richmond, VA is expected to issue a written decision by July 18 on a case involving a teenager who decided to use alternative treatments. A social worker asked a judge to require the teen to continue conventional treatment.

The teenager has Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes. Last year he underwent traditional treatments with chemotherapy which really weakened his body. But now the cancer has returned and the teenager decided to go with a a sugar-free organic diet and herbs as therapy and made visits to a clinic in Mexico.

So when should the judicial system and case workers be in control of deciding what is right for our own bodies? Should teenagers be an exception on decision making because of their age and should the American family lose their choices because of the age of their child?

Inflammatory breast cancer accounts for only 1 percent of all breast cancers -- yet this disease that mostly affects young women and teenagers can be especially aggressive. And sadly, many of the symptoms  -- inflammation, irritation, itching, redness, blotching, and increase in size -- are mistaken for infection. Not until further, more serious symptoms arise does breast cancer become a possible explanation. A breast may become firmer, warmer, and may grow in size more each day. Although distinct lumps are not apparent, the skin may become dimpled and increased tenderness can occur. Large veins may surface, and cancer may spread in sheets or nests instead of from a solid tumor -- making it virtually impossible to detect a lump. While mammograms are usually ineffective for detecting this cancer, certain biopsies and MRI testing can reveal and confirm a diagnosis -- which years ago was much scarier than it is today with new studies and research and therapies that can better fight this aggressive form of cancer.

A combination of the drugs Lapatinib and Capecitabine have been used to treat inflammatory breast cancer in women who have not responded to standard therapies. And this combination is doubling the patient's survival time. Like like the drug Herceptin -- used for many young women with another aggressive form of breast cancer -- these drugs may be the innovative new approach for saving even more young women.

Several beauty products specifically marketed to teenagers contain ingredients that have been shown to cause cancer, genetic mutations and reproductive difficulties. Skin Deep, the Washington-based Environmental Working Group, is an online, safety guide that contains in-depth information on over 14,000 products and their ingredients. In December 2005, the group revealed that several products specifically marketed to teenagers contained ingredients linked to cancer. OPI, a popular nail polish that comes in cool teen colors, contains formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), all are suspected to cause cancer or birth defects.

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) claims toluene causes the formation of mammary tumors in animals. The NTP has listed toluene and formaldehyde as potential carcinogens. DBP is suspected of harming human reproduction and development because it is considered a potential endocrine (hormone) disruptor, this may increase the risk of breast cancer. DBP has been banned as a cosmetic ingredient in Europe and was added to California's Proposition 65 chemicals in late 2005.

None of the nail polishes studied were proved to be of no risk. Some were rated as moderate risks due to their contents.