Breast Cancer Detection And Prevention
The facts about breast cancer can be scary. It is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world (the first being lung cancer). Breast cancer was fatal to over half a million people worldwide in the year 2005. It is rated #5 among the most common forms of cancer in the world. Despite, these scary numbers, there are things you can do to help yourself when it comes to this cancer.
A lump in the breast is often the first sign of this disease. The lump generally feels different from the surrounding breast tissue. You should immediately see your physician if you discover a lump. Your physician will follow up with appropriate tests and examinations, such as a mammogram, to determine the nature of the lump.
There are other signs such as changes in the size or shape of the breast, skin dimpling on the breast, or a nipple that is inverted or that has discharge coming from it. Breast pain or tenderness is another symptom your doctor should be made aware of. Even though the chance of it being caused by breast cancer is low, the consequences of unchecked cancer are high.
Discovering these symptoms should not be cause for immediate alarm. Most of the time, the cause of the symptoms is not cancer. But the risk of cancer is very real, the consequences of cancer are severe, and the disease is progressive, so one should never delay scheduling an appointment with their health care professional.
What will occur if you get diagnosed with breast cancer? What kind of treatment can you anticipate? There are plenty of customizable options, and your doctor will take time to walk you through each of them. While many women are petrified about the possibility of a mastectomy, rest assured that this is an extreme form of treatment, and many cases of cancer don’t require it. Don’t allow fear to prevent you from getting the best possible care.
Breast cancer is a scary subject, but it is a treatable disease. The odds of finding the disease early and keeping from becoming fatal are higher for those women who are proactive and perform monthly self-exams and regularly visit their health care practitioners. For those who are diagnosed with breast cancer, many support groups are available.
Breast cancer is a deadly disease, claiming over 502,000 people in 2005 alone. It is the fifth most common type of cancer. Every woman needs to know how to detect it early on and protect herself from this disease. If you find a lump your doctor can get you the appropriate tests, such as a mammogram, to make sure. One symptom does not mean that you have cancer. But if you are diagnosed, you have several treatment options. Don’t delay telling your doctor about a lump for fear of having a mastectomy. Early detection is critical, and if the disease is caught early on it is highly treatable.
- Stephan Grindley
