Breast Cancer Awareness, Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention
Tags: Mammography, Breast Cancer, Womens Health, Breast Cancer Awareness, Awareness

BREAST CANCER, a disease in which cells of the breast grow out of control. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it’s far more common in women. It begins in different parts of the breast. A breast is made of three main parts: ducts, lobules, and connective tissue. lobules are the milk-producing glands, ducts are the tubules that carry milk to the nipples and the connective tissue surrounds and holds everything together. Most breast cancers begin in ducts or lobules. Breast cancer can spread(metastasize) outside the breast through blood vessels, lymph vessels. Substantial support for breast cancer awareness and research funding has helped create advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Breast cancer survival rates have increased, and the number of deaths associated with this disease is steadily declining, largely due to factors such as earlier detection, a new personalized approach to treatment, and a better understanding of the disease.

CAUSES OF BREAST CANCER:

PREVIOUS HISTORY:

A woman who had breast cancer has an increased risk of getting cancer in other breasts.

FAMILY HISTORY:

a person may have an increased risk of developing breast cancer if several members of her family have had a particular type of cancer.

HORMONAL CAUSES:

Alteration in hormonal levels may participate in breast cancer. It could be attended by starting and stopping periods (Menstrual Cycle), early age pregnancy, Hormonal replacement therapy, Use of oral pills, etc[22].

DIETARY CAUSES AND LIFESTYLE:

A sedentary lifestyle, high intake of fat, obesity especially in postmenopausal women may have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. the increased amount of alcohol consumed.

ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES:

There is known to be a slight increase in risk in ladies who work with low doses of radiation over a long period of time-for example, X-ray technicians[23,24].

BEING A FEMALE:

Women are much more likely to develop breast cancer as compared to men.

INCREASING AGE:

your risk to develop breast cancer increases as you age.

GENETIC CAUSE:

Certain gene mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer can be passed from parents to children. The most well-known gene mutations are referred to as BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers, but they don’t make cancer inevitable.

LATE MENOPAUSE:

You are more likely to develop breast cancer if you began menopause at an older age.

OLD AGE PREGNANCY:

Women who give birth to their first child after age 30 may have an increased risk of breast cancer.

Postmenopausal hormone therapy:

Women who take hormone therapy medications that combine estrogen and progesterone to treat the signs and symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer decreases when women stop taking these medications.

Pregnancy and nursing:

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Immediately following childbirth there is an increased risk of breast cancer observed for women of all age groups. Over the long term, parity is protective for women whose first full-term pregnancy (FFTP) was completed at a young age (<26), and increased in parous women whose FFTP occurred after 35 years of age (29). Breast cancer diagnosed shortly after childbirth tends to be aggressive. It is more likely to be hormone-insensitive, higher grade, with a higher proliferative rate (30) and a higher likelihood of bone marrow metastases (31).

Observational studies have demonstrated inconsistent findings regarding nursing, length of nursing, and risk of premenopausal breast cancer. A prospective cohort study, part of the Nurses’ Health Study II, involving 60,075 women demonstrated an inverse association (HR=0.75) between having ever breastfed and risk of premenopausal breast cancer (32). There was no association between length of lactation and risk. Subset analysis demonstrated that the influence of lactation on premenopausal breast cancer risk was limited to women at increased breast cancer risk because of a first degree relative who had developed breast cancer (HR=0.41). There was no association between lactation and breast cancer risk among women of normal risk.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER:

A lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue.

Change in size, shape, or appearance of the breast.

changes in the skin over the breast such as dimpling.

A newly inverted nipple.

Redness or pitting over the breast (orang like appearance called Peau d’orange)

Peeling, scaling, crusting, or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple (areola) or breast skin.

REDUCE THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER:

QUIT SMOKING:

There is growing evidence that smoking may increase the risk of breast cancer.

MODERATE EXERCISE:

Get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, 60 minutes of vigorous activity, and 20 minutes of resistance exercise a week.

Breast cancer is significantly linked with increased estrogen exposure. Exercise and walking aid the prevention of breast cancer because it affects estrogen. Higher exposure to estrogen means a higher risk of breast cancer. Women who participate more in physical activities tend to have low levels of estrogen than women who lead a less active life.

HIGH FIBER DIET:

The study, which pooled data from 20 previous studies, found that women who consumed the highest amounts of fiber were 8% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who consumed the least.

LIMIT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION:

Alcohol can increase levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Alcohol also may increase breast cancer risk by damaging DNA in cells. Compared to women who don’t drink at all, women who have three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer.

HEALTHY WEIGHT:

In a group of 100 women with a healthy weight range, about nine will probably develop breast cancer at age 50 or above. In a group of 100 obese women, about 11 or 12 will probably develop breast cancer. So, being obese causes about two or three extra women out of every 100 to develop breast cancer at age 50 or above.

MAMMOGRAPHY:

It is an x-ray of the breast, the best way to find breast cancer at an early stage when it is easier to treat, and before it's big enough to show symptoms. Having regular mammograms can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. At this time, a mammogram is the best way to find breast cancer for most women.

The USPSTFexternal icon recommends that women who are 50 to 74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every two years. Women who are 40 to 49 years old should talk to their doctor or other health care professional about when to start and how often to get a mammogram. Women should weigh the benefits and risks of screening tests when deciding whether to begin getting mammograms before age 50.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

SELF EXAMINATION:

Being familiar with how your breasts look and feel can help you notice symptoms such as lumps, pain, or changes in size that may be of concern. These could include changes found during a breast self-exam. You should report any changes that you notice to your doctor or health care provider.

Remember to lie down during your self-exams. This allows the breast tissue to spread out evenly, making it thinner and easier to feel for lumps. Self-exams should be performed once a month at the end of your period when the breasts are less swollen and tender. And keep in mind that performing your own self-exam should first be discussed with your doctor.