Penang, Malaysia (PressExposure) March 08, 2010 -- Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. This press provides the basic information of breast cancer that every woman must know in order to have awareness of this disease.
This common disease of occurs when cell in your breasts known as tumor grow out of control causing damage to the nearby tissues and spreads throughout. These tumors which are cancerous are known as malignant tumors and cause lot of damage to your body.
As it takes lot of time for a tumor to grow, it may not be easy to detect the tumor during self exam. However, early detection via regular breast self-exams and a regular program of mammography and physical exams shows excellent results in combating it.
While doing breast self-exam, there are some of the symptoms to look for:
* A breast lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm that persists through the menstrual cycle. * A blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from the nipple * Change in the size or shape of a breast * Change in the appearance of the skin on the breast such as dimpling * Peeling or flaking of the nipple skin * Redness of the skin over the breast or warmth * A marble-like hardened area under the skin. * Nipple turning inward
Research has shown that women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer. Studies have found the following risk factors for breast cancer:
* Gender: Being a woman is one of the common reasons for suffering from breast cancer. Event though men suffer from this disease too, just being a woman puts the person in lot of danger. * Age: The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a person gets older. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 60. * Family history: If somebody in the family has suffered from breast cancer, then the person chances of having breast cancer increases. * Being overweight or obese after menopause: The chance of getting breast cancer after menopause is higher in women who are overweight or obese * Breast density: Breast tissue may be dense or fatty. Older women whose mammograms (breast x-rays) show more dense tissue are at increased risk of breast cancer. * Lack of exercise: Being lethargic and lack of any physical activity leads a person towards increasing weight and chances of breast cancer
When it comes to breast cancer prevention, there are some risks factors you cannot control such as age and gender. Anyway, there are some breast cancer prevention steps you can always take on to reduce the risk of this disease:
* Regular exercise. Many studies have shown that regular exercise provides powerful protection against breast cancer. The effect of exercise on breast cancer risk may be greatest in premenopausal women of normal or low weight. * Limit alcohol. Alcohol use is the most well established dietary risk factor for breast cancer. To protect yourself from breast cancer, consider limiting alcohol to less than one drink a day or avoid alcohol completely. * Limit fat in diet. Results from the most definitive study of dietary fat and breast cancer risk to date suggest a slight decrease in risk of invasive breast cancer for women who eat a low-fat diet. A low-fat diet also helps to maintain a healthy weight. * Decrease exposure to estrogens. Decreasing the length of time a woman's breast tissue is exposed to estrogen may help prevent breast cancer. Do not take prescription estrogens unless medically indicated.
The main breast cancer treatment are surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy and biological treatments such as Herceptin. The treatment options depend on the breast cancer stage and the following factors:
* Whether the cancer patient have gone through menopause * The size of the tumor in relation to the size of the breast * The type of breast cancer * The grade of cancer cells * General health of the cancer patient
There was a time when Breast Cancer was termed to be as a dreaded disease. But things have changed now. With the basic knowledge of breast cancer, you notice about ways to lessen controllable risk factors and boost your protective factors.