Having breast cancer is no longer the death sentence that it used to be. The medical profession has made some amazing strides in breast cancer detection and treatment options. However, the key to having the best chance of survival is early detection. That is why every woman owes it to herself and needs to educate herself on the five most common warning signs of breast cancer.
The most common sign of breast cancer is noticing a lump in the breast or a thickening of the breast. Breast lumps can often be just fatty tissue and not cancerous, but that is the first sign that normally sends people to go see their doctor to have a thorough examination. The five warning signs of breast cancer are:
* Any change to the shape, size or contour of your breast * Flattening of the breast or indentations in your skin surrounding your breast * Clear or bloody discharge from the breast nipple, with or without the presence of a lump * Indentation or retraction of your nipple * Pitting of the breast skin or redness in the skin over the breast
While these symptoms may not always point to breast cancer, it is incumbent upon every woman to seek medical advice whenever any of the above conditions are noticed. In some cases, your doctor may ask you to have a sonogram of the breast to ascertain if there are any cysts or unusual areas on the mammogram that need further inspection. Mammograms are by far the most effective method for early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
It's recommended that you have an annual mammogram if you're over the age of 40, or if you have a history of breast cancer in your family. You should also consult with a health care professional to help determine how frequently you should have a mammogram as well.
The first stage can be named as stage 0 - in this stage no signs of development of cancer cells can be seen. In this stage no movement or invading of the healthy cells by cancer cells can be seen. The second stage is named as stage
1 - in this stage movement or invading of the healthy cells by cancer cells can be seen. At this stage the size of the tumor is not more than 2 centimeters and no affect on lymph nodes can be seen at this stage. The next stage is stage
2 - this stage shows up the invasive breast cancer. The size of the tumor at this stage is more than 2 centimeters. At this stage cancer starts affecting the lymph nodes of the arm pit of same side. This stage is not an advanced stage as the lymph nodes are still away from one another and also the surrounding tissues.
One prevention method is known as chemoprevention. Essentially, this is the use of drugs. For breast cancer in particular selective estrogen receptor modulator is used. What this drug does is block estrogen absorption in the receptors, which causes any cancer cells to stop growing.
One drug that is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and has been proven to decrease lumps and cysts and can be used in both early and later stages of breast cancer. Side effects can include weight gain and increased uterine cancer risk.
Your care giver or doctor use to keep gap between courses of treatment that can help to recover your body. Treatment can be given in clinic, at hospital or at home as well but in some type of chemotherapy you need to stay in hospital overnight.
A change in how the breast or nipple feels A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area Nipple tenderness A change in how the breast or nipple looks A change in the size or shape of the breast A nipple turned inward into the breast The skin of the breast, areola, or nipple may be scaly, red, or swollen. It may have ridges or pitting so that it looks like the skin of an orange. Nipple discharge (fluid) Early breast cancer usually does not cause pain. Still, a woman should see her health care provider about breast pain or any other symptom that does not go away. Most often, these symptoms are not due to cancer. Other health problems may also cause them. Any woman with these symptoms should tell her doctor so that problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Diagnosis http://www.myhealthidea.com
If you have a symptom or screening test result that suggests cancer, your doctor must find out whether it is due to cancer or to some other cause. Your doctor may ask about your personal and family medical history. You may have a physical exam. Your doctor also may order a mammogram or other imaging procedure. These tests make pictures of tissues inside the breast. After the tests, your doctor may decide no other exams are needed. Your doctor may suggest that you have a follow-up exam later on. Or you may need to have a biopsy to look for cancer cells.
1. Clinical Breast Exam http://www.myhealthidea.com
Your health care provider feels each breast for lumps and looks for other problems. If you have a lump, your doctor will feel its size, shape, and texture. Your doctor will also check to see if it moves easily. Benign lumps often feel different from cancerous ones. Lumps that are soft, smooth, round, and movable are likely to be benign. A hard, oddly shaped lump that feels firmly attached within the breast is more likely to be cancer.
Diagnostic mammograms are x-ray pictures of the breast. They take clearer, more detailed images of areas that look abnormal on a screening mammogram. Doctors use them to learn more about unusual breast changes, such as a lump, pain, thickening, nipple discharge, or change in breast size or shape. Diagnostic mammograms may focus on a specific area of the breast. They may involve special techniques and more views than screening mammograms.
3. Ultrasound
An ultrasound device sends out sound waves that people cannot hear. The waves bounce off tissues. A computer uses the echoes to create a picture. Your doctor can view these pictures on a monitor. The pictures may show whether a lump is solid or filled with fluid. A cyst is a fluid-filled sac. Cysts are not cancer. But a solid mass may be cancer. After the test, your doctor can store the pictures on video or print them out. This exam may be used along with a mammogram.
4. Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a powerful magnet linked to a computer. MRI makes detailed pictures of breast tissue. Your doctor can view these pictures on a monitor or print them on film. MRI may be used along with a mammogram.
5. Biopsy
Your doctor may refer you to a surgeon or breast disease specialist for a biopsy. Fluid or tissue is removed from your breast to help find out if there is cancer. Some suspicious areas can be seen on a mammogram but cannot be felt during a clinical breast exam. Doctors can use imaging procedures to help see the area and remove tissue. Such procedures include ultrasound-guided, needle-localized, or stereotactic biopsy.
Doctors can remove tissue from the breast in different ways:
Fine-needle aspiration: Your doctor uses a thin needle to remove fluid from a breast lump. If the fluid appears to contain cells, a pathologist at a lab checks them for cancer with a microscope. If the fluid is clear, it may not need to be checked by a lab. Core biopsy: Your doctor uses a thick needle to remove breast tissue. A pathologist checks for cancer cells. This procedure is also called a needle biopsy.
Surgical biopsy:
Your surgeon removes a sample of tissue. A pathologist checks the tissue for cancer cells. An incisional biopsy takes a sample of a lump or abnormal area. An excisional biopsy takes the entire lump or area. If cancer cells are found, the pathologist can tell what kind of cancer it is. The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma. Abnormal cells are found in the lining of the ducts. Lobular carcinoma is another type. Abnormal cells are found in the lobules.
Both Saiera Hilton & Dadhwal are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Saiera Hilton has sinced written about articles on various topics from Nutrition, Types of Cancer and Oral Hygiene. Visit StBotanica Products. Also Read about. Saiera Hilton's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
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