Defend Yourself Against Breast Cancer

The best defense against breast cancer thus far is early detection: The earlier it's detected, the easier it is to treat. Help protect yourself by having a regular breast exam. These guidelines follow the recommendations of the American Cancer Society.

Instructions

1- Get a mammogram done annually if you are over 40 years of age.

2- Have a clinical breast examination (CBE) done annually by a health care professional if you are over 40 years of age - preferably around the time that you receive your mammogram.

3- Have a CBE done once every three years if you are 20 to 39 years of age.

4- Conduct a breast self-exam monthly if you are over 20 years of age.

5- Cut down on cigarettes - researchers have estimated that nearly 50 percent of women are sensitive to the carcinogens in tobacco, which means an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

6- Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables: They contain antioxidant vitamins and other nutrients that can help in cancer prevention.

7- Eat foods high in phytoestrogen, a chemical found in soy products, flaxseed and whole grains.

8- Reduce alcohol intake, which has been statistically linked to an increase in the risk of breast cancer.

9- Exercise regularly and maintain a normal body weight; both of these factors help in breast cancer prevention.

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You and Bumble Bee Foods Can Help the Breast Cancer Network of Strength

Many companies and organizations have done great work through the years raising awareness as well as money for research for breast cancer; a cancer that undoubtedly plagues countless women and the people who love them every single year. This year Bumble Bee Foods are doing what they can to help women battling breast cancer who can’t wait for a cure.

The Breast Cancer Network of Strength has helped thousands of people find the information they need to make educated and informed decisions through their 24/7 Hotline and YourShoes peer counselors. While they don’t give medical advice, they do help the women battling breast cancer and their families by explaining what they are likely to encounter in their lives due to breast cancer and beyond.

To help the Breast Cancer Network of Strength, Bumble Bee Foods will donate 15 cents up to $200,000 for every mile logged on their website, BeeWell Miles from April 1st to December 31, 2009. The BeeWell Miles program was created to make it easy for people to get active and help those in need of support and information.

With BeeWell Miles, your healthy lifestyle will go a long way. Just log the miles you walk or run in one day on their website and see how much of a difference you have made and can continue to make through the end of the year. BeeWell Miles can also help you and your journey through a healthy lifestyle, giving you the ability to interact with healthy living experts, share your favorite route with others and calculate the route’s mileage. You can also enter the meals you eat every day to see and understand your calorie intake, and you are also able to speak to other people on the path to a healthy lifestyle and who are also helping Bumble Bee Foods and the Breast Cancer Network of Strength.

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Eat Mushrooms to cut breast cancer risk

New research in China has found that eating mushrooms can cut the risk of breast cancer in women by two thirds. The study also showed that women who take mushroom diet with green tea saw an even greater benefit. The cancer risk was reduced by almost 90 percent among this group of women.

Research showed that women having at least a third of an ounce of fresh mushrooms on daily basis cut 65 percent risk of developing a tumour.

“Higher intake of mushrooms decreased cancer risk in both pre- and post-menopausal Chinese women,” The Daily Express quoted researchers, as saying. Result shows that mushrooms work similarly to breast cancer drugs called aromatase inhibitors which block the body’s production of the cancer-feeding hormone oestrogen.

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information manager, said, “Both green tea and mushrooms have previously been reported to lower cancer risk”. While this research adds to the evidence, more research is needed to reach conclusion of these observations and find out if they are relevant to UK women as well. “It is important to remember there is no one particular ‘super’ food that will protect you from cancer. Large scientific studies have proven that the best way to reduce your risk of many cancers is to eat a healthy, balanced diet.” Said Dr Sharp.

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Scientists uncover genetic ''hotspot'' for breast cancer risk

London, Scientists at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center have uncovered a new genetic "hotspot" that is linked with breast cancer susceptibility in Asian women.

Dr. Wei Zheng, who led the research team, has revealed that this region is on chromosome 6.

The researcher said that the genetic "locus" might help guide efforts to find the specific genes linked with non-inherited forms of the disease.

Genetics have a major role to play in breast cancer, and scientists have already identified a few of breast cancer susceptibility genes - such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. Mutations in such genes increase risk of inherited forms of breast cancers.

"But the genetic factors identified so far explain only a small percent of all the cases in the general population," Nature magazine quoted Zheng, an Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, professor of Medicine and the director of the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, as saying.

The genetic factors responsible for the vast majority of cases are unclear, "so there has been a lot of interest to identify additional genetic factors for breast cancer," said Zheng.

For the study, the researchers focussed on a population of Asian women in Shanghai, China, which they had been studying for more than a decade to identify nutritional, environmental and genetic factors associated with disease risk.

By using "genome-wide association," the researchers started searching for genetic variations in Asian women with breast cancer compared to healthy controls.

The investigators analysed more than 600,000 genetic markers - called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) - for differences between the groups.

From the first group of more than 3,000 women, they selected 29 of the most promising SNPs associated with breast cancer. Then they narrowed down these 29 candidate SNPs to a single SNP that exhibited strong and consistent association with breast cancer.

They also found a similar association in an independent group of American women, indicating that the results might be relevant for other ethnic populations.

"This SNP explains about 18 percent of the (breast cancer) cases in the general population. Compared to other previously identified SNPs, "this one would probably rank as No. 1 or No. 2 in terms of effect size," said Zheng.

If a woman has just one copy of this SNP, her risk of breast cancer increases about 40 percent. With two copies of this SNP, the risk increases about 60 percent.

The SNP lies on chromosome 6 in a part of the genome with no known genes, "upstream" from the gene that encodes the estrogen receptor 1 (ERa).

While ERa is known to influence breast cancer aggressiveness, the impact of this candidate SNP on ERa is unclear.

"At this point, we actually don''t know the function of this SNP we identified," he said.

However, the SNP does appear strongly associated with ER-negative cases of breast cancer, which carry a worse prognosis than ER-positive cases.

Zheng said: "Eventually, we hope that we can use this model to identify high-risk women for chemoprevention or regular cancer screening to reduce their breast cancer mortality."

The study has been published in the journal Nature Genetics. (ANI)

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3 Tips For Preventing Breast Cancer

Breast cancer affects around 45,000 people in the UK each year. No one is sure exactly what causes this condition but it develops when cells in the breast start to multiply in a rapid and uncontrolled way. Although no one knows the exact cause there are number of factors that have been linked with prevention. In this article I will be discussing three tips that could help you prevent this nasty disease.

1) CONSUME LESS ALCOHOL:- A number of studies have suggested that drinking alcohol can increase your chances of getting this type of cancer. Cancer Research UK estimate that around 2,000 of the breast cancer cases reported in the UK each year are caused by alcohol. Multiple studies also suggest that the amount of alcohol consumed directly influences your likelihood of contracting this disease. Therefore, if you drink alcohol you are more at risk than a none drinker and if you are a heavy drinker then you are more at risk than a moderate drinker.

Now I am not suggesting that you completely alter your alcohol intake because there are other factors that influence breast cancer too. However, it could be a good idea to monitor your alcohol consumption for a week and see if there is anywhere you could make some cutbacks. Perhaps, instead of drinking a glass of wine with every evening meal you could alternate and have it every other night. Maybe instead of going for weekly drinks with friends you could go for a meal or to the cinema on alternate weeks. Small changes such as these could help you reduce your overall alcohol consumption.

2) EAT MORE HEALTHY FOODS:- A lot of researchers agree that a healthy diet is a key element of breast cancer prevention. In particular, trans fats have been linked with the development of this type of cancer. On the other hand fruits and vegetables are thought to lower your risk of contracting this disease because they contain cancer protective vitamins and phyto-chemicals.

If your diet contains a lot of processed or man made foods then you really need to cut down as these are normally loaded with trans fat. Also try to make sure you are eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Like with alcohol, you don't have to make significant changes to your diet right away. Instead, try to substitute one of the processed foods in your diet with a piece of fruit or veg every week. Before you know it your overall diet will have improved for the better and this could make the difference between contracting this type of cancer and not.

3) DO MORE EXERCISE:- Exercise is believed to help prevent this type of cancer. A study from Dr Michael Leitzmann that was published in the Journal of Breast Cancer Research [1] suggests that vigorous activity such as running, competitive sports and intense dancing could reduce your risk of contracting this disease. However, less intense exercise did not have the same effect. Therefore, if your current lifestyle is relatively inactive try and do some intense exercise two or three times per week. If you are stuck for ideas jogging, sprinting, skipping and team sports are all good choices.

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK. However, by following the preventative tips discussed in this article you can hopefully avoid it. Reducing your alcohol consumption, improving your diet and becoming more active are positive lifestyle choices that everyone should make. Not only will you be improving your overall health but you could protect yourself from this cancer type of cancer too.

Whilst every intention has been made to make this article accurate and informative, it is intended for general information only. Breast cancer is a very serious, life threatening condition and you should discuss any concerns, treatments or lifestyle changes fully with your doctor.

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What You Need to Know About the Breast Cancer

Breast cancer or cancer of the breast is characteristically a lump in the breast. This disease affects both man and women. But it affects more women than men because of the sexual and reproductive nature of women. It is the second most common type of cancer worldwide after lung cancer.

It is usually marked by changes in breast size or shape and nipple inversion. Research shows that women in the United States have more incidence of breast cancer than any other women globally. Breast cancer is the most widespread type of cancer in the United States.

It normally does not start with any sign and symptom. But as time goes on it shows signs and symptoms such as skin changes and pain. Diagnosis often takes several weeks and involves all kinds of tests.

There are no known causes of breast cancer. You cannot contact it from another person because it is not contagious. But medical research has shown that certain women are more vulnerable than other women depending on certain risk factors.

Age is one of such factors. The chance of getting cancer increases as the age of a woman increases. Breast cancer is prevalent in women over 60 years old.

Another risk factor is personal history of cancer of the breast. This means that if a woman had cancer of the breast in one breast she is very likely to have it in the other breast.

Breast cancer can be genetic. So if your sister, mother or grandmother had cancer of the breast you may have it because it could be transferred through the genes.

Reproductive and menstrual history can contribute to the chances of having cancer of the breast. If a woman had her first child at old age she is most likely to have breast cancer. Women that had their first menstrual cycle before the age of 12 are at an increased risk of breast cancer. Women that underwent menopause after the age of 55 are also at an increased risk of breast cancer.

Race is another factor. Research has shown that white women are at an increased risk of breast cancer than Latin American, Asian, African, and African American women.

In-depth medical research has shown that there is no link between abortion or miscarriage and breast cancer. The same research also shows that being overweight or obese after menopause can increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

Lack of exercise increases the risk of developing breast cancer because people that get little or no exercise become overweight or obese and being overweight or obese is one of the risk factors. Being physically active may help to reduce the chances of suffering from breast cancer.

Alcoholism also increases the risk of getting breast cancer. The more alcohol a woman drinks the more her chances of developing cancer of the breast.

Treatment of breast cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and radiation treatment. Medical research shows that surgery is the best because other methods of treatments have more severe side effects than surgery. The side effects include abdominal pain, drug or medication addiction, kidney failure, anxiety, back pain, anemia, and allergic reactions such as skin rashes and eczematoid dermatitis.

I will advise you to talk to your doctor before taking any medication if you have a history of any disease in order to avoid the side-effects of using harmful medications.

But it is important to note that most women who have obvious risk factors don't get breast cancer. So the best way to ascertain your breast condition is to meet your doctor and explain to him your concerns. Your doctor may be able to advise you on how to reduce your risk.

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B. C Prevention - How to Get Ready For Your Mammogram

A mammogram is one of the safest ways that is used to check if there is any problem with the breast of a woman. It is actually an x-ray of the breasts, as it involves in using a special and very low dose x-ray machine taking pictures of both breasts.

Effective Method of Preventing Cancer

Mammogram is an effective way of breast cancer prevention, as it is the most reliable procedure to detect early stages of breast cancer. However, there are some limitations of mammogram. Many cancers may not be detected by mammograms. Such breast cancers can be detected by breast self-exam. This article will guide you in getting ready for your mammogram.

What You Should Watch Out For?

Firstly, you should check the place where you are going to have your mammogram, so that you get to know about any special instructions, which you must follow before you arrive there. You should make the appointment for your mammogram for at least one week after the completion of your period. This is because your breast generally hurt less during this time. You should make sure that you tell your mammography facility, if you have ever got any type of breast implants.

Things to Remember Before Visiting Mammogram Facility

It is better that you wear a shirt preferably with shorts, skirt or pants. This helps you to undress from the waist up, thus leaving your pants, skirt or shorts on while you are getting your mammogram. It is highly advised that do not use any sort of deodorant, lotion, powder or lotion on your breasts or under your arms on the day you are having your mammogram.

Using these things may result in shadows on your mammogram, as they contain small aluminium particles. You can use cornstarch in place of talcum powder or deodorant, as it does not interfere with the x-ray image. You should not use any sort skin lotions on your breasts, as it can make them slippery. Hence, it will result in a movement during the process and a blurred image may be produced.

What Actually Happens During the Diagnosis Process?

After reaching the clinic, you should undress up to your waist. Try wearing clothes that can be easily removed and has loose fittings. Do not wear a bra on the day. Do not forget to take a hairbrush, so that you can tidy up at the time of redressing. After undressing, you will be asked to put on the hospital gown, opening to the front. The technician will help you in positioning yourself in front of the mammogram machine while standing. While taking the mammogram, your technician will rest each of your breasts on a metal plate, arranging maximum of the breast tissue between the top compression plate and the bottom plate. Your breasts will then be imaged and compressed for various lateral and vertical images.

It is recommended that women, especially those belonging to the upper age limit of 40 years or more, have a mammogram of their breasts done every year. This helps in early detection of breast cancer in one's breast and ensures proper treatment, which can even cure cancer.

To Your Health!

Abortion Clinic. Dr. James

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Harmless Virus May Be Deadly to Breast Cancer

A common, harmless human virus can target and kill breast cancer stem cells, Canadian researchers report.

"We suspected that reovirus might be effective against cancer stem cells, because we have shown time and again how well it destroys regular cancer cells," Dr. Patrick Lee, a cancer researcher at Dalhousie Medical School in Halifax, Nova Scotia, said in a news release.

He explained the importance of targeting cancer stem cells.

"Cancer stem cells are essentially mother cells. They continuously produce new cancer cells, aggressively forming tumors even when there are only a few of them," said Lee, who added that cancer stem cells are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation.

"You can kill all the regular cancer cells in a tumor, but as long as there are cancer stem cells present, disease will recur," he said.

Lee noted that he and his colleagues tested reovirus on fresh breast cancer tissue removed from a patient, whereas most cancer studies use cancer cell lines developed for laboratory use. Not only does reovirus kill the cancer stem cells and cancer cells, it also stimulates the body's anti-cancer immune system, the Dalhousie team found.

They're now trying to find a way to harness the immune system to destroy cancer cells while allowing reovirus to freely infect and kill cancer cells.

"Refining this two-pronged approach to killing cancer is our next step. We are taking advantage of the natural characteristics of reovirus and the immune system itself to create a powerful virus-based anti-cancer therapy," Lee said.

The study appears in a recent issue of the journal Molecular Therapy.

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Early Detection of Recurring Breast Cancer Key to Survival

One of the most common fears people have after cancer treatment is, “What if it comes back?” This is a valid concern since women who have been treated for cancer in one breast have triple the normal risk of developing a second primary cancer in the opposite breast. This risk is even higher for those who have a strong family history or a mutation in one of the BRCA genes, and reaches beyond breast cancer to include an increased risk of certain other cancers as well, especially ovarian cancer. Fortunately, there are steps that can reduce the risk of recurrence. The most important is to get regular medical care after treatment. The tests and examinations done at these follow-up visits are extremely important in helping detect cancer that has returned to the same breast, as well as cancer in the opposite breast. In fact, early detection of second breast cancers can reduce the risk of death by nearly half, according to a new international study.

For the study, published online in the Annals of Oncology, researchers analyzed information on 1,044 women who were seen at a medical center in Florence, Italy from 1980 to 2005 and who developed a second breast cancer. In 699 of the women, the second cancer was diagnosed in the asymptomatic state, while the remaining 345 women had already started to experience symptoms. A mortality registry was used to calculate the impact of cancer diagnosis timing on rates of survival.

Based on the data, the study authors concluded that the chances of survival improved between 27 and 47 percent when the second breast cancer was detected in the asymptomatic stage rather than at a later stage when symptoms were already apparent. Asymptomatic tumors were smaller than symptomatic ones, and early-stage tumors were more common in asymptomatic women (58 percent) than in symptomatic women (23 percent). Fewer women with asymptomatic cancer in the opposite breast (contralateral) than symptomatic cancer had node metastases, an indication the cancer may have spread.

In addition, mammography was found to be more sensitive than clinical examination for detecting second breast cancers—86 percent compared to 57 percent. Nonetheless, a significant number (13.8 percent) of the cancers were detected only by clinical examination. “Our study provides new evidence on several aspects of early detection of second breast cancers,” lead author Dr. Nehmat Houssami, a breast physician in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, Australia, said in a news release.

Previous studies have explored this topic, but each had certain methodological limitations, the study indicates. “We set out to estimate the effect of early, asymptomatic detection while adjusting for the two main biases known to be associated with non-randomized studies of the impact of early detection—lead time and length bias—so we believe that the estimates we report are more valid than previously reported estimates, while acknowledging the limitation that the evidence is not from a randomized, controlled trial,” Houssami said. “In addition, we have estimated this for early detection of either ipsilateral (same breast) or contralateral (opposite breast) cancer, while other studies have focused on one or the other, so our estimates may be more useful for clinicians discussing this aspect of breast cancer follow-up with their patient.”

“Intuitively, it makes sense to consider that early detection of second breast cancers will improve prognosis, since breast cancer survivors have a long-term risk of developing further disease or relapse in either breast,” Houssami concluded. “I think this work provides a timely reminder of the potential benefit of early detection of second breast cancers and supports ongoing surveillance in this group of women.”

Approximately 2.5 million women in the U.S. have been treated for breast cancer. And though annual mammograms are strongly recommended for these women, a report issued in April of 2006 showed that as many as two-third of survivors were not getting them. Screening rates in the study were high early on, with four out of five getting a mammogram in the first year after treatment. However, that rate declined over time and by year five, only a third of the women had gotten an annual mammogram every year since their cancer treatment ended. Women who saw their primary care physician or gynecologist regularly were more likely to get screened than women who did not.

The report noted that too many survivors are “lost in transition” once treatment ends and said more attention needs to be paid to follow-up care in the transition from cancer patient to cancer survivor. It also called for every cancer survivor to receive a comprehensive care summary and follow-up plan in writing that would include a specific schedule for future cancer screenings.

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death among women in most of the Western world and the leading cause of death for women under 50. The disease strikes more than 211,000 American women each year and kills 46,000.

By: Madeline Ellis

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Women With Breast Cancer Gene Favor Preventive Mastectomy

MONDAY, March 9 — Women who know they carry a gene that puts them at higher risk of breast cancer tend to opt for preventive mastectomy, a new study concludes.

Several type of risk management strategies are available to women found to have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, which is known to elevate a woman’s risk of breast cancer. These range from simply having more frequent screening exams to the preemptive removal of a breast.

Researchers at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston interviewed women who were tested for the mutation. They researchers found that roughly two-thirds of women who tested positive for the BRCA mutation believed that a preventive mastectomy was the most effective way to prevent breast cancer from developing or reduce their worry about the disease.

Only 40 percent of women who tested negative for the mutation saw the surgery as the best preventative and only a third thought the procedure was the best way to alleviate their worry about having breast cancer.

“Health care providers and genetic counselors must take this into account when assessing a woman’s needs at the time of genetic testing and results disclosure,” the authors wrote in the April 15 issue of Cancer.

The researchers found that 81 percent of women who saw preventive mastectomy as the best way to reduce cancer risk ended up having the procedure after testing positive. Slightly more (84.2 percent) had the surgery if they viewed it as the only way to reduce worry about possible breast cancer.

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about breast cancer.

— Kevin McKeever

SOURCE: American Cancer Society, news release, March 9, 2009

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5 Simple Things That Could Cut Your Breast Cancer Risk

1. Limit yourself to two or three alcoholic drinks a week

Alcohol, consumed even in small amounts, is believed to increase the risk of breast cancer. Most doctors recommend cutting back on wine, beer, and hard liquor.

A recent study showed the link between drinking and breast cancer was especially strong in the 70% of tumors known as hormone-sensitive.

By Lorie Parch

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6 Things You Can Do to Prevent Breast Cancer

With 49,000 new cases and 11,000 deaths per year, breast cancer has experienced a doubling of cases during the past 25 years. And yet, we can prevent this cancer by some simple habits. The risk of breast cancer may be lowered, so play your part!

Just like it is for lung cancer, the causes of breast cancer are easily identified, Only recently a number of these factors have been formally recognized by the light of specific studies. So lets take a look at what you can to to prevent breast cancer and live a healthy life.

Eat less and better.

Again, food is central to the prevention of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, but also breast cancer, Food is also responsible in the occurrence of a second cancer. Regardless of overweight, trans fats (pastries, pizza, etc.) are increasing by more than double the risk of breast cancer. If it adds an overweight (especially in case of breakdown "android" fat, in short a big belly), the fatty tissue acts like a gland secretory estrogen promoters of cancer, especially after menopause.

Keep Moving!

Thirty minutes of real physical activity (not just vacuuming and ironing!) would reduce the risk of breast cancer by 30 to 40%. Keeping your body in shape is one of the best weapon against all form of cancers. It may be difficult at first to get out and doing some physical activities but the rewards are fantastic. A simple bicycle ride every day is enough to stay in shape. So let's move!

Drink less than one glass of alcohol per day.

Once the equivalent of 10 grams (one glass), the rate of circulating hormones (estrogen always) grows, as does the risk of tumor growth, especially breast. The risk increase by 9% every 10 grams of alcohol ingested. Alcohol is one of the worst enemy for pregnant women.

Make your first baby around 25 years old.

This factor is the "heavy" in terms of risk ... At least 20% of cancers would be redundant due to the increasingly late age of the first full-term pregnancy, which is nearly 30 years today.

Nurse your baby ideally for 6 months.

The risk decreases with the number of children and especially if they were breastfed: endogène secretion of estrogen are dropping considerably during pregnancy and weaning.

Protect yourself against xenoestrogens.

A xenophobic estrogen is a chemical compound, which is recognized by a living organism as an estrogen.

You must especially avoid periods where your body is changing and more vulnerable to hormonal changes, ie when you are pregnant of a baby girl (for him to avoid breast cancer later.

Breast cancer accounts for one third of new cancers in women. If it is detected early, it is better supported. Women with breast cancer benefit from treatment tailored to their pathology. Four technologies are mainly used. In order of importance: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Since the year 2000 medical advance has been made on all fronts in the fight against breast cancer. Early detection and treatment are essential to defeat the disease.

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3 Possible Breast Cancer Symptoms

Breast cancer is a type of cancer that affects around 44,500 people each year. Of these around 300 are believed to be men. It develops when tissues in the breast start to multiply in a rapid and uncontrolled fashion. Like other types of cancer, the symptoms can often be difficult to spot. However, if you know what you are looking for then your chances of identifying this condition early are greatly increased. In this article I will be helping you do just that by discussing three of the possible symptoms.

1) A LUMP OR THICKNESS IN THE BREAST:- Most breast lumps are not cancerous. According to Cancer Research UK 90% of these lumps are caused by; non-cancerous changes in the appearance of the breast, cysts (pouches of fluid in the breast tissue) or Fibroadenoma (a group of fibrous glandular tissues). However, this is still the most common breast cancer symptom so it is worth getting any lumps you do identify checked out by your doctor. Even if they do turn out to be non-cancerous you can identify the cause and possibly have the lump removed simply by going to see your doctor.

2) A CHANGE IN THE BREAST SKIN'S APPEARANCE:- If your breast skin starts to look different this could be a sign of breast cancer. This type of cancer may cause your breast skin to become dimpled (like an orange peel), wrinkled, swollen or inflamed. However, like with lumps a change in the breast skin's appearance can be down to other factors. It may be caused by another less serious medical condition, some medications you have been taking or some other influence. Whatever the cause, you should have any unexplained change in the skin examined by your doctor to be on the safe side.

3) LIQUID DISCHARGE FROM THE NIPPLE:- Another possible symptom of breast cancer is nipple discharge. This discharge can be in the form of either blood or pus that is clear, green or yellow. However, like the above symptoms discharge from the nipple is generally down to other causes. Even so the only way to be sure is to go and see your doctor who will then be able to perform further tests and identify the cause.

Breast cancer is relatively difficult to spot. Even if you do identify one of the symptoms listed above, it is does not necessarily mean you have cancer. However, by knowing what to look for you can take action early and go see your doctor. If they determine that the symptoms are non-cancerous you can put your mind at rest. If the symptoms do turn out to be cancerous you are still in a good position because the cancer has been discovered early when it is much more treatable. Examine your breasts regularly and if you notice any of the symptoms listed in the article go see your doctor right away.

Whilst every intention has been made to make this article accurate and informative, it is intended for general information only. Breast cancer is a very serious, life threatening condition and you should discuss any concerns, treatments or lifestyle changes fully with your doctor.

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How to Detect and Treat Breast Cancer

It can be very helpful to know more about how to detect breast cancer because when it is diagnosed early it can be treated more effectively.

The breast is composed of a group of glands and ducts protected by a fatty tissue. When cancer occurs the cells start to divide and multiply quickly growing in an abnormal pace. It can start within the mammary glands or ducts and spread to the lymph nodes and the fat tissue around the breast. Although, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer amongst women under 35, only 8,000 women are diagnosed before their menopause, of which 2,000 are in their 20s or 30s, out of 44,000 women diagnosed each year.

There are some factors that can increase the risk of a woman developing breast cancer they are as follows:

* Starting menstruation at a young age, before 12 years old.
* Late menopause, after 55 years old
* Being overweight, in particular after the menopause
* If it is in the family history and/or inherited genes
* Intake of HRT - only while taking it, the risks are reduced after stopping taking it
* Regular intake of more than one unit of alcohol every day
* Having previously had breast cancer

What symptoms you should be alert to?

* Unexpected change in size or anatomy of the breast
* Unexpected changes of the nipple, such as changing position or shape, becoming inverted or developing a rash or discharge
* Skin of the breast appears puckered or dimpled
* Continuous pain in one area either in the breast or under the armpit
* Swelling of the armpit or in the region of the collarbone
* A lump or thickening in the breast or armpit


How can breast cancer be diagnosed?

If you notice any of these symptoms or are concerned about any of them see your GP and he will exam you and if necessary refer you to a breast clinic for further examination and ultrasound scan or mammogram (breast X-ray). In case a lump is found, cells can be extracted with a delicate needle, or a biopsy can be performed to ascertain if the lump is malignant. The earlier it is detected the more effective the treatment can be. Learn how to do breast self-examination, as it makes easier to know your breasts and recognise any unnatural changes on them.

What are the types of treatment available?

Your specialist will decide on the type of treatment that would suit you best depending on the stage of the tumour, your age as well as your overall health condition and other factors. The treatment can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy, either on their own or mixed within any order or combination.

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Do You Know What Causes Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is cancer that starts in the tissue of breast.They are normally two types of breast cancer. Ductal cancer that start in tube that move milk from breast to nipple and lobular cancer which starts in lobules that produce milk.

Causes or risk that expose you to get breast cancer are:

==> Age and gender -women get breast cancer 100 times more than men.As you get older your chances of getting cancer increases

==> Family history of breast cancer -it is important to study your family tree and know danger you are exposed to,if a relative has had breast ,ovarian or colon cancer you have high risk of getting breast cancer.

==> Genes - if you have gene prone to developing breast cancer such BRCA2,which normally produce protein that protect cancer.If it is passed to you by your parent ,then you have high risk of getting cancer in your life time.

==> Menstrual cycle - For those women who get their period early before age of 12yrs or went to menopause late after age of 55yrs,have increased risk to get breast cancer.

==> Alcohol use - Excessive drinking like taking more than two glasses of alcohol subjects you to higher risk of cancer.

==> Childbirth - Women who have never had children or who get them at their thirties.statistics show that women who become pregnant more than once or at an early age reduce risk of getting cancer.

==> DES - If you take diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent miscarriage you may have an increased risk of breast cancer after in your forties.

==> Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - You have a higher risk for breast cancer if you have received hormone replacement therapy for long.Most women use it to reduce the symptoms of menopause.

==> Obesity -Being overweight increases you chance to get breast cancer.The fact behind that is, obese women produce more estrogen, which can enhance the development of breast cancer.

==> Radiation - If you have received radiation therapy in your life time as a child or as you grow to treat cancer of the chest area.The younger you start such radiation, the higher your risk - more so if the radiation was given when a female was developing breasts.

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Signs of Breast Cancer That You Need to Keep in Mind

We have been hearing about many cancer cases and one of the most prominent cancers that we hear of today is the breast cancer. With the increasing rate of the breast cancer cases it is important that we understand and know the signs and symptoms. The following are few symptoms which can help you make out the symptoms of breast cancer:

a. Lump
Lump can be one of the symptoms of breast cancer but not necessary that this is always the cancerous lump. Though, lump is the most common sign of breast cancer in both men and women. Thickening in the breast is also another indication and at times the lump may be painless but it may be sore from time to time.

b. Discharge from the nipple
Bloody discharge from the nipple is also one of the signs of breast cancer but this again does not mean that the person is suffering from breast cancer, though this cannot be taken lightly.

c. Change in size of your breast
Another symptom is the change in the breast size; this can be from one of the clear signs of breast cancer.

d. Indentation of nipple
Retraction or indentation is not the common thing that you would notice, this is also one of the signs where you should not wait for anything, you need to rush to your doctor and get your physical test done.

e. Indentation of skin over the breast
you should also check whether the skin over the breast is indented. Indentation or flattening of the skin over breast is also the symptom of breast cancer.

f. Redness of skin over the breast
Redness or pitting of skin over the breast is again the sign of breast cancer. The shape and texture looks similar to the skin of an orange.

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Signs Know If You Have Breast Cancer

Knowing your body well will help you know normal changes and changes that need medical attention. Having regular check up give you great defense against cancer.

Following Are Some Symptoms of Cancer To look for:

- Unfamiliar pain in your breast or in the armpit - It's unusual in sense that pain is different from how you feel when you have monthly periods. Also if it you feel it in one rather than both breasts. If it is not caused by hormonal changes then go to the doctor for checked up.

- A lump or a tumor in the breast or in the armpit - Sometimes is caused by hormonal changes but if it persists don't wait before it is too late. Go for screening and know the cause of swelling.

- A change in size or shape of the mature breast - If you notice any changes in a mature breast more so if it's occurring on one breast only. That is a cause for alarm to seek health professional for cancer breast examination.

- Fluid other than milk leaking from the nipple - During your menopause you may experience non-blood leakage from nipples of both breasts due to hormonal changes. But if it occurs on one breast only, then you need medical attention.

- Change in size of the nipple - When your body weight changes it is natural for nipple to change its size too. But if it retracts in and doesn't return to its normal shape, seek help from your doctor for cancer manual examination. If there is a problem below the surface of the nipple then having a diagnostic mammogram or ultrasound may be the best option.

- Changes of color, shape or texture of the nipple - If you notice puckers, a rash on the nipple skin or darker skin that around the nipple. And after using some cream still doesn't help, then don't waste more time consult doctor when still in its curable stage.

However it is important to know that breast implants, usage of antiperspirants, and wearing under wire bras do not raise your risk for breast cancer. There is also no proven evidence yet to link breast cancer and abortion.

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Breast Cancer - How to Know If You Have Breast Cancer

One of the major killers of women all over the world is breast cancer. While its cause is not yet established, it is agreed and proven that factors such as your body size, age, level of alcohol and fat content can make you contract the disease. So, in order to avoid it, it s highly advisable for you to lose weight, reduce your alcohol consumption, engage in exercise and avoid at all cost fatty foods.

Changes in the size of the breast is one of the features of breast cancer. However, this does not mean that you have the disease when there is a drastic change in the size of your breast. This is why it is essential to see a doctor when you notice a change in the size of your breast. Don't jump into conclusion and panic yet that it is breast cancer. Let the doctor be the judge of that.

Ignorance is very costly when it comes to the issue of breast cancer. You should not be ignorant about the disease. It is even advisable that you read everything out there on the subject. According to statistics, it is estimated that cancer of the breast affects one out of every eleven women in the world. This is why you should not treat the subject with kid's gloves.

One of the steps to quickly detecting the presence of cancer in your breast is a regular examination of your breast. How? You need to examine it for limps and irregular shape and size. This approach may not be very effective for breasts that has undergone augmentation or implantation as lumps cannot be easily detected in such breast as a result of alteration of the breast. This is why you should not go for breast reform that will make detection of lumps impossible.

It is believed that breast cancer is related to the level and production of some hormones in the body. If this is true, then it means that receiving hormone therapy can cause hormonal imbalance that can consequently lead to breast cancer. However, you should realize that going for hormone therapy is still relevant in the treatment of ailments such as depressions. In such cases, it is highly advisable that you receive your therapy from a professional.

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