Introduction
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and is the second leading cause of death from cancer. In 2018, more than 40,000 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the United States alone. Though statistics show that breast cancer remains one of the most preventable diseases, there are still many misconceptions about this disease. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with a form of breast cancer or knows someone who has experienced it, here are some facts about what you need to know:
- The term “breast” refers to both female and male breasts; however, when discussing patients who have had a lumpectomy for early stage breast cancers (stage 0-I), only female breasts are described as having been affected by the disease.
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not just an American holiday; it’s also an international event celebrated in over 100 countries across five continents around the world!
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month reaches its widest audience during October each year because there are so many ways people can participate: wearing pink items like hats or t-shirts; donating money to fundraising organizations such as Susan G Komen Foundation; participating in walks around their towns (or cities!) with friends and neighbors; wearing bras decorated with ribbons for men too!
Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer
- Breast lumps: A breast lump is a firm, rubbery growth that’s usually located on the side of your chest. It can be hard to notice under your clothing, so don’t rely on your sense of touch alone when you feel one. You may also have other symptoms such as nipple discharge and dimpling in the skin around your breasts.
- Dimpling skin: This change in shape and texture of skin means that there are more folds than usual; they’re usually symmetrical (in other words, they look exactly the same on both sides) and they’re often red or darker than normal skin tone.
- Nipple discharge: This is clear liquid coming out from underneath each nipple when you touch it gently with a clean finger tip; sometimes this will happen with no pain at all—it’s just some irritation from rubbing against clothing or jewelry! Most women experience at least some nipple discharge during their lifetime—but if it happens regularly without any explanation then consult a doctor before worrying about anything else too much!
Risk Factors for Developing Breast Cancer
There are many factors that can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. These include:
- Age – Women over 50 have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than younger women. This may be due to the fact that older women have more advanced disease at diagnosis and fewer chances for cure.
- Family history of breast cancer – If you have sisters or cousins with breast cancer, your risk increases by 75 percent compared to people without this family history. However, if your mother had breast cancer when she was younger than 50 years old (the age at which most cases occur), then there is no increased risk from having a sister or cousin who also had it earlier in life; this suggests an inherited gene mutation may play a role in causing the disorder rather than shared environment factors alone.* Lifestyle – Smoking cigarettes can triple your risk of getting breast cancer; so does drinking alcohol excessively during pregnancy or adolescence.* Diet – Eating more calories than recommended will cause weight gain that contributes directly towards increased risks for developing both benign tumors such as fibrocystic disease but also malignant tumors such as carcinoma
Prevention of Breast Cancer
A breast exam can detect precancerous or cancerous cells. If you have a family history of breast cancer and other risk factors, such as having given birth to two or more children, then you should consider getting a mammogram at least once every year.
Check out our list of other ways to prevent breast cancer:
- Don’t smoke. Smoking increases your risk of getting breast cancer by about 30%.
- Avoid alcohol if possible; studies show that women who drink in moderation may reduce their chances of developing the disease by roughly 25%. However, drinking too much alcohol is linked with an increased risk for developing certain types of cancers (including breast), so keep track of how much alcohol you drink each week and cut down if needed until you reach the recommended limits set by health professionals (1 glass per day).
Conclusion
Breast Cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, but it can be treated successfully if caught early enough. By learning about the signs and symptoms, as well as risk factors for developing breast cancer, you may be able to prevent this disease from happening to yourself or a loved one.