Breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the UK, is the disease most feared by women.
Early detection of this disease is vital!
There are different signs and symptoms of breast cancer. One of the first signs or symptoms is feeling a lump in the breast. This lump will feel different from the rest of the breast tissue around it.
It is known that more than eighty percent of women discover lumps when examining themselves. A doctor can detect breast cancer by giving you a mammogram.
Knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer can help save your life.
When the disease is discovered early, you have more treatment options and a better chance of cure. Most breast lumps are not cancerous.
However, the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women is a lump or thickening in the breast.
Often the lump is painless.
Although the public has learned a lot about breast cancer, more than half a dozen popular breast cancer myths remain.
At least one of those myths relates to the signs of breast cancer. Many women believe that finding a lump in the breast means they have breast cancer, which is not true.
Another symptom of breast cancer is Paget’s disease of the breast.
It is a syndrome that presents skin changes such as redness and peeling of the skin of the nipple. As this progresses, symptoms can include itching, tingling, tenderness, pain and burning, and sometimes nipple discharge. About half of women diagnosed with Paget’s syndrome will also have a lump in the breast.
Other useful information is that some types of cancer, such as inflammatory breast cancer and Pagent’s disease, show classic symptoms of their own type. Very red, hard breasts that remain sore appearing along with regular breast cancer symptoms are a classic case of inflammatory breast cancer, while very itchy, red, scaly rashes—easily mistaken for eczema—on the breasts along with other symptoms of breast cancer are Pagent’s disease.
Always go to the doctor to clarify your doubts.
Unlike the more common form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer does not usually present as a lump.
The disease grows as nests or sheets that obstruct the lymphatic system under the skin. Often the symptoms are attributed to other diseases and therefore the diagnosis can take a long time to come.
For many women, abnormal cell activity in the breast fluid will be the first warning of the possible development of signs and symptoms of breast cancer. This early warning system gives women and their doctors valuable additional time to implement a more vigilant, personalized treatment plan for breast health.
A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. This test is used to detect breast disease in women who do not appear to have breast problems. It can also be used when women have symptoms such as a lump, skin changes, or nipple discharge.
Every year, 180,000 women get breast cancer, which is an increase of more than 50% of women who had breast cancer before 1950.
The chances of developing breast cancer increase with age.
But don’t think you don’t have to worry if you’re under 40, because more and more young women are also developing breast cancer than ever before.
Be attentive in your breast exams and you will have greater peace of mind.
Early detection methods to detect breast cancer have greatly improved survival rates. Even with the increasing number of women developing breast cancer, the number of women actually dying from breast cancer these days is decreasing due to earlier detection and better treatment methods.
A screening mammogram is used to detect breast disease in women who do not have breast problems. A diagnostic mammogram is used when a woman has symptoms or if there are other barriers to accurate testing, such as breast implants.
Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. That’s why it’s important to follow screening recommendations. In most cases, the first signs of breast cancer are recognized as a small and often palpable lump in the breast.
Women with a higher risk of breast cancer should talk to their doctor about the best approach for them. They may benefit from starting mammograms when they are younger, getting them more often, or having other tests. If you are at higher risk, your doctor may recommend that you have an ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) along with your mammograms.
If you notice any of these breast cancer warning signs, don’t panic. Call your health care provider early and have it checked out. Not all of these changes may represent cancer, but you won’t know it unless you are examined.
However, there are more reasons for optimism than ever.
In the past 30 years, doctors have made great strides in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease and in reducing deaths from breast cancer.
In 1975, a diagnosis of breast cancer usually meant a radical mastectomy: removal of the entire breast along with the underarm lymph nodes and the muscles under the breast.
Today, radical mastectomy is rarely performed. Instead, there are more and better treatment options, and many women are candidates for breast-conserving operations.
Most of the symptoms of breast cancer are visually observable and highlight the need for regular breast self-exams.
Although breast cancer cannot be prevented, early detection of cancer warning signs and early diagnosis dramatically increase the likelihood of successful treatment.
The good news is that many times, especially if a lump is found early, women with breast cancer go on to live full and healthy lives after treatment.
Some women also join support groups so they can talk to other women with breast cancer who are feeling the same emotions, this can be very helpful and supportive.