Breast Cancer - Incidence, Symptoms, Causation, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention and Prognosis

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women affecting one in eight women during their lives. It may develop at any time but the risk of developing it increases as women get older. It is far more common in post-menopausal women and the risk continues to increase with rising age. CAUSE The cause of breast cancer is not known and while it can also occur in men, the much higher occurrence in women implicates estrogen. Today, breast cancer, like other forms of cancer, is considered to be the final outcome of multiple environmental and hereditary factors. Breathing secondhand smoke increases breast cancer risk by 70% in younger, primarily pre-menopausal women.

When to Self Breast Exam? Stick it on My To-do List!

Self breast exam, it isn't necessary is it? Oh yes it is. Absolutely. Regular BSE can help you find changes early, and need not be a long, drawn out, dreaded process. So, do you know when to do yours? First, let me briefly recap with the "how to" question. How To Do A Breast Examination Stand in front of the mirror, arms at sides, view all angels of your chest. Standing, raise your arms, looking at all the area in the mirror. Hands on hips, looking in the mirror, slowly lean forward, checking as you go. One arm over the back of your head. Use three finger pads of the opposite hand.

Breast Examination Wedges, Circles and Zig Zag

Regular breast examination can save your life. I firmly believe it helps to know, what is normal for you. Understand your breasts better, how do they feel, what do they look like? By knowing that, it means you will notice breast changes earlier, and that gives you more time to get the help you need. It just a matter of letting go the fear that so often women feel, and many of us have had that experience. Starting a new habit, is like anything else in life. It needs to be done regularly to become second nature to us, and therefore part of your monthly routine forever. So are you ready to start yours?

Chocolate Models of Yumminess May Help Breast Cancer

Eating chocolate models of dark chocolate candy, is good for you! For women all over the world, deciding the worlds finest chocolate, can be a difficult thing. But are there health benefits? Before whizzing off exchanging chocolate chip cookie recipes, let's think about the symptoms of breast cancer, and ask ourselves if these health benefits may be of use to us. Chocolate models of yumminess can be full of antioxidants, due to the beans being from the Cacao tree. However the actual amount of antioxidants available to help us, depends on the processing having been done. We need these antioxidants to help control and neutralise damaging free radicals in our body.

Breast Cancer Surgery - The Basics

The breast cancer surgery is done to make sure that the cancerous tissue is removed and make sure that the breast is saved by removing the malignant tissue. The aim is to remove the unwanted growth of the tumor while it is localized which means that the tumor has not spread itself throughout the breast. As far as types of breast cancer surgery goes there are several types of breast surgery and the doctor in consultation with you will decide the best surgery possible. Mostly the decision to go with one type of surgery versus the other is taken because of the medical needs. There are various factors that decide what surgery is the best course of action like the size of the tumor, the location of the tumor and the type of breast cancer.

Mammograms Do Save Lives! - Part 3

A Mammogram is the only exam to show early stage Breast Cancer. Other exams such as Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine and MRI are done after a Breast Mass is found. Let's say you were 'called back' after your Mammogram for micro-calcifications. The additional views appear suspicious. What's next? One of two things will happen. 1) Needle Biopsy (Stereo Tactic Core Biopsy) 2) Needle localization followed by surgery Stereo Tactic Core Biopsy (that's what I had! ) is done by a Radiologist in the Mammography Department. You lie on your stomach on a table with a hole in it. The hole is where your breast goes!

Mammograms Do Save Lives! Part 1

I specialized in Mammography for 25 years. This exam is possibly the most hated by women. Unfortunately, it's all we have for now. It's the only exam that will detect early stage Breast Cancer. Many patients experience pain and discomfort from the compression of the breast, but firm compression is most important. The purposes of firm compression are to stabilize and separate the breast tissue to see it more clearly. It also thins the breast, resulting in a lower dose of radiation. I went to a seminar, and they presented two exams on the same patient. One with light compression, and one with firm compression.

Mammograms Do Save Lives! Part 2

Mammography is the only exam to show early stage Breast Cancer. Other exams like MRI, Ultrasound and Nuclear Medicine are done after a breast mass is formed. Early stage Breast Cancer is in the form of micro-calcifications. Suspicious characteristics are sharp edged calcifications that seem to form a pattern. If your Mammogram reveals a new formation of these micro-calcifications, you will be 'called back' for more images. The calcifications will be magnified to get a better look. If they still look suspicious, you will be referred for a biopsy. Finding Breast Cancer in this stage has the best prognosis.

Breast Cancer - Cure and Treatments

Breast cancer is one of the most feared diseases which nobody wants to be diagnosed with. From all the media attention it receives today a person would think that progress is being made towards finding a cure, but unfortunately the opposite is true, as the breast cancer rates are still climbing. The main reason why it is still increasing is that we don't have prevention, despite all the causes of breast cancer being well known. Also the reason why we don't have a cure for breast cancer is because all our current treatments are very good at generating profits for the companies that are involved and in control of the industry.

Global Breast Cancer Crisis-Update

As I mentioned in my earlier article, breast cancer is now a global concern. Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in United States causing the death of millions women. A recent study has shown that women having a vitamin D deficiency when a breast cancer is diagnosed have a greater death rate than those having a proper amount of vitamin D. This is striking example of the importance of vitamin D in the prevention of breast cancer. Vitamin D was discovered in 1919 after vitamins A, B and C. This vitamin is playing and essential role in calcium absorption, in the bones growth as well as in the good functioning of the organs of our body.