Breast Cancer Awareness..#What You Should Know About Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment.

I was facebook strolling and stumbled upon this very very useful information about breast cancer, its prevention and treatment on Ignacia Kola's page and i couldn't help but share.
Cancer is becoming an epidermic lately and the earlier it is caught, the better for everyone.
This types of cancer is not limited to women alone, though women are more prone to having it.
Read all about it below and learn!

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

A lump in a breast
A pain in the armpits or breast that does not seem to be related to the woman's menstrual period
Pitting or redness of the skin of the breast; like the skin of an orange
A rash around (or on) one of the nipples
A swelling (lump) in one of the armpits
An area of thickened tissue in a breast
One of the nipples has a discharge; sometimes it may contain blood
The nipple changes in appearance; it may become sunken or inverted
The size or the shape of the breast changes
The nipple-skin or breast-skin may have started to peel, scale or flake.






(1.Chest wall. 2. Pectoralis muscles. 3. Lobules (glands that make milk). 4. Nipple surface. 5. Areola. 6. Lactiferous duct tube that carries milk to the nipple. 7. Fatty tissue. 8. Skin.)

Treatments:
may consists of an oncologist, radiologist, specialist cancer surgeon, specialist nurse, pathologist, radiologist, radiographer, and reconstructive surgeon. Sometimes the team may also include an occupational therapist, psychologist, dietitian, and physical therapist.

Surgery of breast cancer includes:

Lumpectomy - surgically removing the tumor and a small margin of healthy tissue around it. In breast cancer, this is often called breast-sparing surgery. This type of surgery may be recommended if the tumor is small and the surgeon believes it will be easy to separate from the tissue around it.
Mastectomy - surgically removing the breast. Simple mastectomy involves removing the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue, nipple, areola, and some skin. Radical mastectomy means also removing muscle of the chest wall and the lymph nodes in the armpit.

Sentinel node biopsy - one lymph node is surgically removed. If the breast cancer has reached a lymph node it can spread further through the lymphatic system into other parts of the body.
Axillary lymph node dissection - if the sentinel node was found to have cancer cells, the surgeon may recommend removing several nymph nodes in the armpit.
Breast reconstruction surgery - a series of surgical procedures aimed at recreating a breast so that it looks as much as possible like the other breast. This procedure may be carried out at the same time as a mastectomy. The surgeon may use a breast implant, or tissue from another part of the patient's body.

Preventing breast cancer
Some lifestyle changes can help significantly reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.
Alcohol consumption - women who drink in moderation, or do not drink alcohol at all, are less likely to develop breast cancer compared to those who drink large amounts regularly. Moderation means no more than one alcoholic drink per day.

Physical exercise - exercising five days a week has been shown to reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers from the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health in Chapel Hill reported that physical activity can lower breast cancer risk , whether it be either mild or intense, or before/after menopause. However, considerable weight gain may negate these benefits.
Diet - some experts say that women who follow a healthy, well-balanced diet may reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. A study published in BMJ (June 2013 issue) found that women who regularly consumed fish and marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids had a 14% lower risk of developing breast cancer, compared to other women. The authors, from Zhejiang University, China, explained that a "regular consumer" should be eating at least 1 or 2 portions of oily fish per week (tuna, salmon, sardines, etc).

Postmenopausal hormone therapy - limiting hormone therapy may help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. It is important for the patient to discuss the pros and cons thoroughly with her doctor.
Bodyweight - women who have a healthy bodyweight have a considerably lower chance of developing breast cancer compared to obese and overweight females.
Women at high risk of breast cancer - the doctor may recommend estrogen-blocking drugs, including tamoxifen and raloxifene. Tamoxifen may raise the risk of uterine cancer. Preventive surgery is a possible option for women at very high risk.
Breast cancer screening - patients should discuss with their doctor when to start breast cancer screening exams and tests.

Breastfeeding - women who breastfeed run a lower risk of developing breast cancer compared to other women. A team of researchers from the University of Granada in Spain reported in the Journal of Clinical Nursing that breastfeeding for at least six months reduces the risk of early breast cancer . This only applies to non-smoking women, the team added. They found that mothers who breastfed for six months or more, if they developed breast cancer, did so on average ten years later than other women.



Please stay safe! always do breast examination to check for lumps. early detection means patients can still be saved. Don't wait till tumor becomes malignant and metastazied.


SOURCE : Medical Association of Nigeria