Do You Have Breast Cancer?

Have you noticed a lump or thickening in your breast? Do you find your breast size uneven? Do your nipples appear retracted or inverted? Are you worried that you might have breast cancer?

The second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S among women is breast cancer, the first being lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, only about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are hereditary in nature. It is estimated that about 75 percent of breast cancers occur in women who do not even possess the risk factors. Breast cancer is also seen in men but this occurrence is often rare.

Breast cancer is a malignancy that starts as a single abnormal cell that duplicates itself beyond control. Breast cancer frequently develops in the ducts that carry milk to the nipple. This can also form in the milk producing small sac of the breast. Breast cancer can exhibit either a slow growth or a quick and aggressive growth that can spread to nearby lymph nodes or even to more distant areas.

In order to provide early treatment, it is important to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

1. A person with breast cancer usually finds a thickening or a lump around her breast or armpit area.

2. The nipple often exhibits an inverted or retracted appearance.

3. Those who are suffering from breast cancer may find changes in their breast including a change in size, contour and color.

4. A clear or bloody discharge may appear in the nipple.

5. The breast skin will show pitting or dimpling which resembles the skin of an orange.

Without any doubt, finding any of the above signs and symptoms will be very frightening to any one of us. Breast cancer is undoubtedly one of women's most dreaded illnesses.

Breast cancers treated during the early stage promise more than 95 percent success rate. The treatment procedures for breast cancers depend on a variety of factors which include the following:

1. The age, weight and general health of the patient.

2. The type and the development stage of cancer.

3. The characteristics of cancer cells.

4. The involvement of the other breast.

Even the menopausal status of the patient will also affect the type of treatment that will be provided. A combination of surgery is typically the treatment plan involved in breast cancer cases. These surgical procedures can include lumpectomy or the removal of only the lump, mastectomy or the removal of the entire breast, lymph node removal, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Hormone therapy is often administered with the drug tamoxifen which may prevent the recurrence of the cancer cells.

A patient has a higher chance of recovery if breast cancer is discovered early and proper treatment administered immediately. Therefore it is important especially for women to perform a routine self-examination to determine if any suspicious growth or lump is developing along the breast and armpit area.

If any suspicious growth is discovered, it is important to seek for medical opinion as soon as possible.

Michael Russell

Your independent guide to Breast Cancer

Some Common Myths Regarding Breast Cancer

Myth: A woman who has been cancer earlier should not get pregnant.

There is much metabolic and hormonal change occurring when a woman gets pregnant. Studies have shown that this does not cause any significant risk of breast cancer recurring.

Myth: Breast cancer can be got by coming into contact with an individual who already has it, that is, it is contagious.

This is absolutely false. Cancer is formed by the abnormal multiplication of cells and changes that occur in one woman's cells cannot affect the cells of another woman. The common risk factors of breast cancer are age, obesity, high fat content diet, family history, if menstruation begins at an early age, if menstruation continues beyond the age of 50, if a previous breast biopsy shows benign conditions, mutations of the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 and not having children.

Myth: If only your mother's family has a history of breast cancer, it can affect your risk.

This is not so. You could be at risk equally if either your mother's or father's family has had a history of breast cancer. Your compliment of genes come equally, that is, half from your mother and half from your father. If a man and a woman have a similar breast cancer gene abnormality, the likelihood of the woman developing breast cancer is more than when compared with the man. Therefore in order to follow your father's family history, you have to take into account the women on your father's side and rather than the men.

Myth: You have been cured of breast cancer if you are cancer free five years after you have been diagnosed.

Being free of some cancers five years after you have been diagnosed does imply a cure, but it is not the case in breast cancer. The chances of it recurring is greatest in the first two years after it has been diagnose, but it can and does recur at any time after the initial diagnosis, that is, it can occur even after 2 or 3 or even 10 years after initial diagnosis.

Myth: You will lose your hair when you undergo radiation therapy.

You will not lose the hair on your head, but you may lose the hair on your nipple and the hair in your armpit next to the breast that is undergoing the radiation. This is only temporary and will grow back. Radiation therapy is focused directly on the tissue of the breast and sometimes on the nearby lymph nodes. You will lose your hair on your head only if the radiation is targeted at your head.

Myth: You will lose your hair when you undergo chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy affects the whole body and as a result, there might be some loss of hair. However, this loss of hair depends on how long the treatment is going to be, they types of drugs and the dosage. If a woman does lose hair, however during chemotherapy it usually begins about three weeks after the treatment has begun. The loss of hair is, however, only a temporary side effect and will grow back once chemotherapy has concluded.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Myths And Facts About Breast Cancer

Myth: Coffee drinkers have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

This is not so, in fact research has shown that coffee may actually prevent cancer. It was once believed that caffeine which is present in coffee caused a fibrocystic breast condition, a non cancerous condition which has symptoms of tenderness, pain, lumpiness and cysts in the breasts.

Myth: Nausea and vomiting occurs when you undergo radiation therapy.

Nausea and vomiting does not occur when you undergo radiation therapy for breast cancer.

Myth: Breast cancer is always expressed in the form of a lump.

Whilst a lump in the breast is a certain sign of breast cancer, not all individuals who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a lump that is noticeable. It is very important therefore, for every woman over the age of 40 years to perform a monthly breast self-examination and while doing so check for the following:

If there is any swelling or thickening of the breast.

If there are any hard knots or new lumps in the armpit or breast.

If there is any change in the symmetry, size or shape of the breast.

If there is any thickening or any lump that does not reduce after the next period.

If there is any scaliness or redness of the breast skin or nipple.

If there is a nipple discharge especially if it is a spontaneous discharge, is clear and sticky, bloody or dark.

If there is any indention, puckering or dimpling in the breast.

If there is any skin irritation, dimpling or any other change in the skin of the breast or nipple.
If there is any pain or tenderness in the nipple.

If the nipple is pointing in a new direction or drawing or turning inward.

Or any other change in the breast which may be a cause for concern.

If any of the above changes do occur it is best that a clinical examination is done. However, having any of theses changes does not necessarily mean that the individual has breast cancer. Some individuals also develop breast cancer without any symptoms and it can only be detected by a mammogram. Therefore it is recommended that a mammogram be carried out every year for woman 40 years and above as early detection is the key to successful treatment and survival.

Myth: A woman diagnosed with breast cancer will eventually lose her breast.

Women diagnosed with breast cancer will at sometime have to undergo surgery, which is part of the treatment. The treatment would generally depend on how far the cancer has spread. If the cancer is detected in the early stages Lumpectomy, which is the removal of the lump and surrounding amount of normal tissue followed by radiation therapy is the most common type of treatment today. Some may have to undergo mastectomy, which is the removal of the affected breast. Drugs, that is, anticancer drugs are also used to shrink the size of the breast tumor in order that the patient would only have to undergo lumpectomy instead of mastectomy. It all depends on the individual case and what treatment is best for them.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer: The Risk Factors

Breast cancer is very hard to detect in its early stages. Breast self-exams and regular clinical breast exams are still our best weapons against this type of disease. We can gain a better understanding of breast cancer if we just take the time to study its causes and find out what are the factors that increase our chances of getting it. Read on for more useful information about breast cancer, which affects the lives of thousands of women each year.

. Gender - you are more at risk if you are a woman - especially if you've already had cancer in one breast. Women have a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of getting breast cancer. Although cases of breast cancer in men have steadily increased over the years, they only make up 1% of all breast cancer cases.

. Family history - if you're mother, sister, or another female member of your family has had breast cancer, this also increases your risk. Research has shown that hereditary cases of breast cancer are due to mutations of genes identified as BRCA1 and BRCA2. Further studies however, are still underway regarding these developments. Have yourself evaluated if one or some female members of your family have a history with breast cancer.

. Age - women are more vulnerable to breast cancer as they get older. 77% of women with breast cancer are over the age of 50, women below 30 only make up 0.3%. (American Cancer Society). It is advised that women as young as 20 years old should have a clinical breast exam every three years and should do so once every year after hitting age 40.

. Other risk factors for women - several other factors have to do with female hormones. According to studies, long-term hormone replacement therapy can increase your risk. It is also advised that women should have children before age 30 (starting to breastfeed at a younger age reportedly helps reduce your chances of getting breast cancer). Excessive alcohol intake and being overweight are also linked to an increased risk. Women who have experienced menstruation early (before age 12) and those who experience menopause later than the expected age also have the higher probability of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Tamoxifen is a drug prescribed for women who are already at high risk. This reduces the risk of cancer by 50% if taken for five years. Some side effects may be experienced (hot flashes and vaginal discharge), although they are not serious. In rare cases however, life - threatening side effects (stroke, blood clots, uterine cancer) may occur. For this reason, Tamoxifen is not widely used.

There are several risk factors to consider when it comes to breast cancer. And even if you think you have very few of the characteristics that could put you at risk, don't take things for granted. You should still give careful attention to your health. Have yourself examined by your physician regularly, adopt a healthy lifestyle and be sensitive to the changes in your body. Taking preventive measures is still your best defense against serious illnesses.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer