Breast Cancer

30 September 2011

Breast Cancer

Womens Health Problems - The high number of cases of suspected breast cancer because women are less aware of changes in her breasts, so that not infrequently lead to breast cancer is detected at an advanced stage. In fact, early detection and increased vigilance accompanied by appropriate treatment can be trusted to reduce the number of deaths due to breast cancer.

Breast cancer is said to be worth a frightening disease for women. Worldwide, breast cancer is the second largest cause of death after lung cancer. The high number of cases of suspected breast cancer because women are less aware of changes in her breasts, so that not infrequently lead to breast cancer is detected at an advanced stage. In fact, early detection and increased vigilance accompanied by appropriate treatment can be trusted to reduce the number of deaths due to breast cancer.

Breasts are glands that can produce milk, consists of a collection of glands and fatty tissue that lies between the skin and sternum. Lump in the breast is the result of excessive cell growth. These lumps are called tumors. During its development, tumors can be benign or malignant. Tumors are benign if cell growth was not until the spread to surrounding breast or spread to other organs (such as lung, liver, bone, and brain). If the opposite happens, then the tumor is malignant.

Symptoms and Risk Factors  

Generally a woman does not feel any symptoms of breast cancer in the early moments. When the tumors grew, then the following symptoms occur :
  • There is a bump
    Lump in the breast are permanent and not affected the menstrual cycle. There is a change in breast shape or size. Lumps can be accompanied by pain or not.
      
  • Skin disorders
    Rashes on the skin around the breast, nipple looks scaly, reddened, and swollen. Swelling and thickening of the skin in the breast area.
     
  • Nipple abnormalities
    Discharge from the nipple, the nipple is tender, in part or whole nipple pressed in.
     

To diagnose breast cancer, originally done by feeling a lump that can be touched by the finger. To distinguish whether the lumps found in breasts are benign or malignant, the mammography and ultrasound examination (ultrasonography). Furthermore, to ascertain whether the right breast cancer, needs to be done by taking a small tissue biopsy from the lump are then examined under a microscope.

There are several risk factors that can increase the likelihood of a woman developing breast cancer. Can be broadly grouped into four factors, namely :  

1. Genetic Factors 
  • Family history.
    If any family members affected by breast cancer or ovarian cancer can increase the risk. The risk will increase when breast cancer experienced by immediate family members (mother, sister or daughter), especially if the cancer is attacking while they are under the age of 50 years.
  • Tested positive for BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation on genetic testing of blood. These conditions significantly increase the chances of female or male breast cancer.
2. Factors Hormones   
  • Pregnancy history.
    Women who gave birth to a child under the age of 30 years had a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who gave birth after 30 years of age or do not have the child at all.
  • History of breastfeeding.
    The risk of breast cancer would decrease if women breastfeed frequently and in a long time.
  • Menstrual history.
    Women who first having periods early (before age 12 years), or experienced menopause after age 55 have a high risk.
  • The use of external hormones such as estrogen hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills that contain estrogen alone. Risk factors will increase if the use made ​​continuously for long periods.   
 3. Factor Diet
  • Until now there has been no research to prove convincingly that diet relates to breast cancer incidence. It's just that a diet high in fat and low in fiber may increase breast cancer risk factors. While a diet that contains omega 3 (fish), fruits, vegetables, foods that contain phytoestrogens (tofu, tempeh), and antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A, C, E) can reduce risk factors.
  • Alcohol and smoking can increase the risk factors through hormonal pathways.
4 . Environmental Factors 
  • History of radiation exposure in the chest, especially if exposed before age 40 years, for example in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma who received light therapy (radiotherapy) in the chest.
  • There is no connection between the use of pesticides on the environment or are exposed to electromagnetic fields with the incidence of breast cancer.  
Early Detection of Breast Cancer

Not all lumps in the breast is cancerous. So to be sure, any lump should be examined carefully. After each period, every woman should conduct its own examination of the breast, to detect lumps or changes in the breast. No need to wait until symptoms develop to begin to do early detection.

An important step that can be done every woman to reduce the risk of death due to breast cancer is early detection through breast self-examination (BSE) and regular mammograms since the age of 40 years.

Breast self-examination should be performed at 7-10 days after your period is finished because at that time breasts were soft. The purpose routine breast self-examination is to feel and know the curve of the breast so that if a change can be immediately known.

Self Breast Examination 
  • Standing in front of the mirror with her ​​hands placed on the side of the body. Raise both arms and observe carefully the skin on the breast if there are wrinkles, curves, change in size or shape. See if there is a change of symmetry in both breasts. Observe also if the nipple or enter into any strange fluid coming out of the nipple. Now put both hands on the side pingul then observe your breasts. After that put both hands behind your head and do the same.
  • Check both breasts while standing in the shower while showering. Do the same when you lie. Put one hand behind his head, one hand while doing the massage motion rotate clockwise in the area of ​​breast tissue, nipple, and the tissue under the armpit.
    Repeat this on the left breast. When you do the bath, soaps and water makes the skin smooth up to mampermudah examination.
  • Check if there are lumps that do not disappear or do not change. An abnormal lump can appear suddenly and persist. These lumps of different shapes and hardness and sometimes feels hard with irregular edges. Sometimes the lump is a thickening of the tissue without a clear boundary line. Remember, the cancerous lump is usually painless.
Every month to do its own examination of the breast so that if any new lumps can be immediately known. If you have menopausal breast examination done on the same date each month. If you have not menopause, the best time to examine your breasts for 7-10 days after the last menstruation. Customarily breast cancer lumps are not sick. Observe and touch your breast lumps or swelling. If anything goes wrong, immediately to the doctor.
For womens health problems are one problem is the American Cancer Society recommends that women undergo clinical breast examination as part of routine health examinations, once every three years for women aged 20-39 years and every year for women over 40 years to avoid breast cancer. Read also about the prevention of breast cancer and breast cancer treatment.