Information About Breast Cancer That Every Woman Should Know

Breasts and uterus are the two most common places cancer may develop in women. Both areas are easily examined and every woman owes it to herself to undergo such examinations periodically. Breast cancer is one of the most significant diseases affecting women, taking the lives of many thousands of women all over the world.

Breast cancer is very rare in women below the age of 40. In this article, you will find useful information on breast cancer that every woman should know.

When Should You be Alert for Breast Cancer?

Below are some of the symptoms that are alarming and one need to consult a doctor for careful breast examination.

1. If there is any change in the shape or outline of the breast when there is movement of arms and lifting of breast.

2. If there are any lumps, thickening or bumpy areas in one breast or armpit, which seem to be different from the same part of the other breast and armpit.

3. If there is discomfort and pain in one breast that is different from normal, particularly if it is new and persistent.

4. If there is discharge in a nipple or nipples (not milky).

5. If there is bleeding or there are moist reddish spots on the breasts.

6. If there is any change in the nipple position - pulled in or paining differently. There is nipple rash on or around the nipple.

There can be many reasons for the above changes in the breast. Most of them are harmless, but they need to be checked, as there is a small chance they could be the first sign of cancer or any other disease. In case of any change, consult a doctor. Remember, the sooner it is examined, the simpler is the treatment likely to be.

Cure Breast Cancer Treatments Guide :

Cancer - Cure Breast Cancer Treatments

Your doctor will take a number of things into consideration when deciding what treatment to prescribe for breast cancer. His decision will depend on various factors such as what type of breast cancer you have, the size of the tumour in the breast, the grade of the cancer cells, your cancer cells test results, whether you have had your menopause and your health in general.

The five main treatments for breast cancer are surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy and biological treatments. Depending on your situation you could have any or even all of these treatments. As each case of breast cancer is different one cannot generalize and prescribe a standard course of treatment without examining the case specifics.

Surgery and Radiation

Most treatments for breast cancer start with surgery, of which there are different types. In some cases it is possible to have only the tumor removed, depending on its size and position in the breast, or it may be necessary to have a mastectomy where your breast is removed. Some people prefer to have the breast removed completely once it has had cancer in it, but this is not a decision you have to make in haste. If you have the option, take your time to think of how you feel about the two procedures.

Surgery is often followed by radiotherapy as a back-up treatment. This procedure uses radiation to kill the cancer cells in the breast.

Chemotherapy and Hormone Therapy

Chemotherapy or hormone therapy may be prescribed for before or after your surgery and radiotherapy. Doctors may try to make the cancer smaller with chemotherapy prior to your surgery to make it easier to remove. Older women with locally advanced breast cancer may first be treated with a hormone therapy known as an aromatase inhibitor. Locally advanced breast cancer is cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body but may be larger than 5cm across, growing into the skin or muscle of the chest, or present in the lymph nodes which are stuck to each other or to other structures. Aromatase inhibitors block estrogen that may be produced by the adrenal glands in post-menopausal women and can help to shrink the cancer in the breast.

Your doctor may suggest chemotherapy or hormone therapy for after your surgery as it helps lower the re-occurrence of cancer.

Biological Therapy

Biological therapy, such as Herceptin, is the newest type of cancer treatment. Herceptin is a monoclonal antibody made in a laboratory designed to target and kill breast cancer cells. There is evidence that Herceptin may help to stop breast cancer from coming back and it may help keep advanced breast cancer under control for longer. Used initially for the treatment of advanced breast cancer, Herceptin is now also licensed in some places to treat early breast cancer, although continued research is necessary to get the full picture of its use as a treatment.

Talk to your doctor about the treatments he is prescribing for you. If you feel you would like a second opinion then ask for one. You may feel you are not getting the treatment you want or need and may want to discuss this with another specialist, and you should do so. Take all your test results and X-Rays with you so that they can assess your case with all the facts. It may not mean that they will take over your case, but they can give you their opinion on your situation and discuss with you how they would approach it. You may hear something new or merely a confirmation of what your doctor has suggested. Either way, ask any questions you may have to help you clarify the details. Bear in mind though, that organizing a second opinion may take time and could delay your treatment.

Cancer Treatments Guide :

Alternative Ways For Preventing Or Cure Breast Cancer - Why Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Nowadays, with advanced technology, there has been greater improvement in breast cancer prevention compared to before. In order to reduce the pain, side effects or recurrence after the treatments such as surgery or radiation therapy, an alternative way considered is traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture, herbal medicine and energy exercises, are the alternative ways to improve the breast health of the patients after the treatments. Emotional distress such as easily angry, stress and etc will lead to functional disorders of liver and spleen and thus causes the lumps in the breast to worsen and recurrence after treatment. Acupuncture is one of the recommended ways which can provide the energy and release the stress after the treatment.

Another traditional Chinese medication for patients is through herbal medicine. There are four areas of this treatment such as herbs for depressing cancer cells, herbs with anticancer properties which is used for cleansing the body toxins, herbs for immunity and herbs for preventing alterations. Energy exercises such as Qi Gong and Tai Chi will help in reducing the stress and tension in the body. The treatments have shown effectiveness in controlling the cancer cells and in improving the lifestyle of a person.

In order to improve breast health and recovery after the treatments, traditional Chinese medicine is one of the best therapies considered to reduce the recurrence after the treatment and the risks in developing breast cancer. Besides that, maintaining a healthy lifestyle such as quite smoking, do more exercises can also improve the breast health.

Cure Breast Cancer :

How to Choose the Right Breast Cancer Surgery

Once you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, usually treatment starts first with surgery. There are generally two components to the operation: 1) the breast, and 2) the axilla (armpit).

In the breast, there are two choices: 1) lumpectomy (removing the cancer lump and some surrounding tissue), or 2) mastectomy (removing the entire breast).

Just a quarter of a century ago, almost all patients had mastectomy, even if their breast cancer is small. But over the past few decades, it has been demonstrated that for small cancers, lumpectomy followed by radiation treatment is just as good as mastectomy. Now, "small" is a relative term. The goal of a lumpectomy is that the breast would still look like a breast after all the treatment is done. In someone with small breasts, a "small" cancer may occupy a significant portion of her breast. An adequate lumpectomy in this case may result in an unacceptable cosmetic outcome, and the patient may actually prefer having mastectomy with plastic surgery reconstruction. Another factor is the number of cancers in the breast. Usually, mastectomy is required for multifocal cancer (cancer discovered in two or more locations in the same breast)

At the same time as the breast operation, surgery in the axilla also is carried out for invasive (or infiltrating) breast cancer, as well as in selected cases of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). This is done to determine whether the breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the axilla. In general, there are two choices: 1) sentinel node resection, or 2) axillary node dissection. In sentinel node resection, the surgeon maps the lymphatic drainage of the breast cancer to the first lymph node that receives this lymph, i.e. the sentinel node(s). Only a few (1-3) nodes are then usually removed. In axillary node dissection, more lymph nodes are resected, usually 8-25. Sentinel node resection is a good choice for small early cancer that is unlikely to have spread to the axilla. When the suspicion for cancer already in lymph nodes is high, then full axillary node dissection should be performed.

The above are only general guidelines. No two breast cancer patients are exactly alike, and therefore the decision making process is different and unique for each individual person. Regardless of any one else's advice, you should make the choice that you personally will be able to live with for the rest of your life.

When You Are at High Risk for Breast Cancer

Certain women with a particularly high risk of developing breast cancer ought to find magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans with their yearly mammogram, in accordance with a new American Cancer Society guideline. The two tests together provide doctors a better possibility of discovering it early in these women, when it is easier to treat and the possibility of survival is greatest.

MRI scans are more sensitive than mammograms, but they are more probable to demonstrate spots in the breast that may or may not be cancer as well. Frequently there is no means of knowing whether or not these spots are cancerous short of a follow-up biopsy or some other invasive process. That is why the test is not suggested for women with an average risk of breast cancer, the guideline states.

MRI is recognized to be more responsive in identifying it than mammography, with a 71 - 100 percent correctness compared to 16 - 40 percent accuracy for mammography. Consequently, yearly breast cancer screening for high-risk women now characteristically includes MRI together with mammography and a clinical breast exam.

Even though studies have been not in agreement, there comes into view to be an emerging agreement that the usage of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) raises the risk of the disease.

Preventive medications (chemoprevention) decrease breast cancer risk for women at high risk of developing the disease. Learn how these medications work plus related side effects and health risks.

If you're at high risk of the disease, you possibly will be able to recover your odds of staying cancer-free by taking selected medicines, a method recognized as chemoprevention or chemoprophylaxis.

The best-known alternatives are selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) - tamoxifen and raloxifene (Evista). Both drugs have Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the avoidance of breast cancer in high-risk women.

Prevention of Breast Cancer - 7 Ways to Prevent the Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is quite common diagnosed in women and almost 1 in every 8 is developing in it. While there are certain risks that is cannot change, but what we can do is change our lifestyle to prevent it happened.

1.Minimize or avoid alcohol: According to the research, consumed more than 2 to 5 drinks daily will increase the higher rate.

2.Be aware of family history: Having a personal or family members history may increase the risk and do let your doctor know about this. But do remember if your mother or sister who have this before, does not mean you will developing it as well.

3.Check your breast every month: Checking your breast does not mean can reduce the risks but help to detect it earlier.

4. Quit smoking: As we know that smoking will bring the effects in lung, mouth cancer and etc. Although there is no link between smoking and breast cancer but smoking at an early age increase the risks.

5. Consume more vegetables and fruits: Eat raw or lightly cooked vegetables (broccoli, cabbage and etc) which consists of protein to offer the protection against it. While eat more servings of the fruits will also reduce the risks.

6. Exercise regularly: Regular exercise provides the powerful protection. Aim for a 30 minutes of exercise such as briskly walking in 5 or more days in a week.

7. Keep a low fat diet: A low fat diet can reduce the risks of developing breast cancer by decreases the risks of obesity.
For the sake of family members for those who love you, prevent and detect it happened earlier by changing your lifestyles.

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