Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of death in women, after lung cancer. The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is less than 1 in 8.  The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 36. Breast cancer rates have been going down. This is probably because the cancer is being found early and better treatment.

Checking your breast on a monthly basis is important. Follow the steps below to detect abnormalities on your breast. The following should be done once a month.

• Begin looking at your breast in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.  Here is what you need to look for.

Breasts that have usual shape, color and size. 

Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling.

If you see the following changes, please bring them to your doctor's attention:

Dimpling, Puckering, or bulging of the skin.

A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple.

Redness, soreness, rash or swelling.

• Now raise your arms and look for the same changes
• While you are at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples ( this could be a watery, milky, yellow fluid or blood)
• Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, about the size of a quarter.Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women. Be sure to feel all the tissue from the front to the back of your breasts: for the skin and tissue just beneath, use light pressure; use medium pressure for tissue in the middle of your breasts; use firm pressure for the deep tissue in the back. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your ribcage.
•  Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in step 4.

 

Click on the links below to find out more about the treatments on breast cancer. 

Surgery

Radiation therapy

Chemotherapy

Hormone therapy

Targeted therapy

Bone-directed therapy

There is not a cure yet for breast cancer but one day I believe someone will find one. It doesn't matter what your age is, young or old, make sure to examine your breast every month.