Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Risk Factors | Breast Cancer Symptoms | Breast Cancer Early Detection | Breast Cancer Prevention | Breast Cancer Treatment
Breast Cancer Risk FactorsBreast cancer can occur in women:
- More than 50 years old
- With first degree relative with breast cancer. In such cases, the risk of developing breast cancer is about 2 to 3 times more.
- With early menstrual cycle
- With high dietary fat intake
- Who consume alcohol
- Who smoking or are exposed to passive smoking
- Who take oral contraceptive or have undergone hormone replacements
- With a sedentary lifestyle and excess weight
Breast Cancer Symptoms
The symptoms of breast cancer are:
- A lump, mass or thickening in the breast
- Change in the size or shape of a breast
- Nipple pain and tenderness or discharge, including bleeding
- Nipple that is turning inward or is inverted
- Change in skin color and texture such as dimpling, puckering or irritation
- Breast that feels warm or swollen and looks red
- Persistent tenderness of the breast
Breast Cancer Early Detection
Methods of early detection are:
- Performing breast self-exams (BSE) once a month, beginning at age 20
- Having breast exams done by a health care professional every three years in your 20s and 30s
- Having annual breast exams by a health care professional, beginning at age 40
- Beginning annual screening mammography (an X-ray of the breast) at age 4
- Beginning mammogram at a younger age, especially women with a high risk should talk to their health care professional about screening
- Performing yearly MRI exams (magnetic resonance imaging) in women at very high risk
Breast Cancer Prevention
To prevent the onset of breast cancer:
- Avoid high fat diet
- Maintain adequate dietary intake of critical nutrients like carotenoids and folic acid
- Exercise regularly
- Encourage physical exercise in children to delay menarche
- Adopt a physically active lifestyle during adulthood, especially after menopause
- Maintain a slim body
- Avoid alcohol and smoking
Breast Cancer Treatment
Therapy depends on the type of cancer and whether the cancer has spread beyond the breast. However, following treatment options are available:
- Surgery - Mastectomy (breast removal) or a Lumpectomy (removal of the tumor)
- Chemotherapy and/or Hormone Therapy - Usually done before or after surgery
- Radiation - Performed after breast-conserving surgery to reduce the risk of the cancer returning in the breast. It may also be used after mastectomy if the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes
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