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Breast Cancer Awareness
- Jodi Zephir
- Oct 30, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 31, 2020
We cannot let October end without bringing awareness to breast cancer.
So, what exactly is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast. The most common kinds of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma. In invasive ductal carcinoma, abnormal cancer cells that began forming in the milk ducts have spread beyond the ducts into other parts of the breast tissue. IDC makes up nearly 70-80% of all breast cancer diagnoses. In invasive lobular carcinoma, the cancer cells spread from the lobules, the glands that produce milk, to nearby breast tissue.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. About 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 39 women will die from breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer increases with age and most patients are diagnosed after the age of 50. At the time of diagnosis, roughly 64% of breast cancer patients have local-stage breast cancer, 27% have regional stage and 6% have metastatic, or distant disease. Although it is rare, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer. About 1 in every 100 breast cancers are diagnosed in men, within the United States. However, there are more than 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.
Early intervention is key. The stage at diagnosis is one of the most important factors that affect prognosis. So, it is important to look for signs and symptoms early on. Different people experience different symptoms, and some may not even have any symptoms at all. Possible symptoms for both men and women include:
A lump or thickening in or near the breast or underarm area.
Irritation or dimpling of the breast or chest skin.
Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
Pain in any area of the breast or chest.
Please note, these symptoms can happen with other conditions that are not cancer. Nonetheless, if you notice any of these, schedule a visit with your doctor.
Finally, don’t hesitate to conduct breast self-exams monthly! Mammograms can help you to detect cancer before you feel a lump, but breast self-exams help you to be familiar with the look and feel of your breasts. Breast self-exams can be performed in the shower, in front of a mirror, or lying down.
Self-exam how-to:
With the pads of your fingers, check the entire breast and armpit area, pressing down with a light, medium, and firm pressure. Check each breast every month, making sure to feel for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot, as well as any other breast changes.
If in front of a mirror, visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your side, and then with your arms raised. Look for any changes in the contour of your breasts, signs of swelling, dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Next, place your hands on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Left and right breasts usually do not look exactly the same, so look for any changes on each side.
When lying down, place a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast, covering the entire breast area and armpit. Use light, medium and firm pressure. Gently squeeze the nipple to check for any discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for the left breast.
Although we cannot completely prevent cancer, some habits that help to reduce our risk are maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, eating fruits and vegetables, and staying away from smoking and heavy alcohol consumption.
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