Laura

This year over 1,150,000 women worldwide will be diagnosed with breast cancer; that is equivalent to 1 out of 8 women.  Out of the 1,150,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer 411,000 will die from this disease.  Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women ages 20-59.

About 1 million women at this very moment have breast cancer and do not know it yet.  The symptoms of breast cancer often go unnoticed by most women.  Some symptoms that may be notice are as follows: 

·        A change in how the nipple/breast feels or looks

·        A lump in the breast/underarm area

·        A change in the size/shape of the breast

·        A nipple turned inward toward the breast

·        Redness or swollen breast/nipple

Most women go in for a yearly mammogram and that is great.  It is important to know that mammograms do not always detect breast cancer.  Mammograms have a failing rate of 20% in women over 50 and 40% in younger women.  Doing self breast examinations are the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way to check for breast cancer.  You know your body better than anyone else.  Go ahead, touch your boobs!  It’s good for you!

If something feels different you should tell your doctor to check for breast cancer; even if you feel normal you should be checked for breast cancer.  If your doctor suspects that you may have breast cancer he/she will confirm his/her opinion by performing any of the following detection systems:  clinical breast exam, diagnostic mammogram, ultrasound, magnetic resance image (MRI), or a biopsy.

If cancer is found treatment will begin.  There are two types of therapy that can be used to treat breast cancer.  One way is to use local therapy.  Local therapy includes treatments such as surgery and radiation to remove or reduce the cancer.  Another way is to use systemic therapy.  Systemic therapy uses hormones to rid the body of the cancer or to control the cancer through the bloodstream. 

Breast cancer is scary, because there are few symptoms and the causes are usually unknown.  50% of all breast cancer cases are unexplainable.  During your lifetime you may be diagnosed with breast cancer or you will know someone with breast cancer.  Knowing the symptoms and performing self breast examinations frequently will help to increase your survival of this deadly disease.

To learn more about self breast examinations and how to perform the visit    http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms