Dr.. Osama Abu Al-Rub
What are the signs of breast cancer?
And how does it happen?
What are the risk factors for it?
What is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?
The answers are in this comprehensive report.
And we start directly with the most common symptoms of breast cancer, which are:
1- The appearance of a new mass in the breast area
According to the Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar, which was quoted by the American Cancer Society, the detection of such a solid, painless and irregular mass indicates that it is mostly a cancerous tumor, but breast cancer may be painful to the touch, flaccid or round, and it may be painful. On some rare occasions;
Therefore, it becomes important to see your primary care physician for examination if any breast lump or changes appear.
2- Swelling of the breast or part of the breast (even if no lump is felt).
3- Skin irritation or dimpling.
4- Nipple retraction inward.
5- Redness, scaling of the breast area.
6- “Thickening of the nipple/ breast skin.”
7- The appearance of secretions through the nipple (other than milk secretions).
8- Cancer may spread, sometimes, to the lymph nodes in the armpit or collarbone area, and cause a lump or swelling to appear in those areas, even before the original tumor in the breast tissue becomes large to the extent that it can be felt.
The doctor must also be notified of any swelling of the lymph nodes.
According to Hamad Medical Corporation, although any of these symptoms may appear in cases other than breast cancer, if you have them, you must inform the doctor about them, so that he can verify the cause.
What is breast cancer?
Cancer is a disease in which the cells of the body grow out of control.
When cancer begins in the breasts, it is called breast cancer.
With the exception of skin cancer, breast cancer is one of the most common and widespread cancers in women, according to Hamad Medical Corporation.
Breast cancer screening is the process of a woman being screened for cancer before any symptoms appear.
The most common type of cancer
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women, affecting 2.1 million women each year, and causing the largest number of cancer-related deaths among women.
In 2018, it is estimated that 627 thousand women died due to breast cancer;
That's nearly 15 percent of all cancer deaths among women, according to the World Health Organization.
The organization adds that while breast cancer rates are higher among women in more developed regions, rates are increasing in almost every region globally.
On the occasion of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Hamad Medical Corporation joins the international community with the aim of raising awareness about breast cancer during the month of October, encouraging women to know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and emphasizing the importance of early detection, which can save the lives of many women.
pic.twitter.com/pBUBykhmej
- Hamad Medical Corporation (@HMC_Qatar) October 4, 2020
Factors that increase the risk of breast cancer
1- Having a family history of breast cancer is one of the things that increases the risk of developing it by two or three times, according to the World Health Organization.
2- Certain mutations, particularly mutations in the BRCA1, BRCA2, and p53 genes, lead to a significant increase in the risk of breast cancer.
However, these mutations are rare and represent only a small percentage of the overall disease burden.
3- The girl reaches early puberty before the age of 12;
That is, the start of her menstrual cycle before this age.
4- Exogenous hormones also increase the risk of breast cancer.
Women who use oral contraceptives, and women who undergo hormone replacement therapy, are also at greater risk of developing this disease.
5- Advances in age: the older a woman is, the higher her risk of developing breast cancer.
6- Drinking alcohol.
7- Obesity.
8- Previous incidence of breast cancer, as this makes women more vulnerable to cancer recurrence (relapse).
9- Reaching menopause (menopause) at a later age, i.e. the later the age at which a woman stops menstruating, the greater her risk of breast cancer.
10- Never get pregnant, as women who did not become pregnant are more likely to get sick than those who did.
11- The delay in having the first child, as those who gave birth to their first child after the age of 35 are more likely to develop breast cancer.
12- Exposure to radiotherapy in the chest area during childhood or adolescence.
It is worth noting that breastfeeding contributes to protecting women from this cancer.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, corresponding to October of each year in all countries of the world, is a month that helps increase interest in this disease, and provide the necessary support to raise awareness of its seriousness, early detection and treatment, as well as providing patients with palliative care.
Fighting breast cancer
Comprehensive cancer control includes prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.
One of the most important population strategies to combat breast cancer is to raise public awareness of the problem posed by this disease and the mechanisms to combat it, and to call for the development of appropriate policies and programs in this field, according to the WHO.
What is a mammogram?
A screening mammogram is an examination in which low doses of X-rays are used to examine the breasts for abnormal changes.
Results are recorded on X-ray films or directly on the doctor's computer, called a radiologist, for analysis and examination, according to Hamad Medical Corporation.
Screening for breast cancer is used as part of the screening plan for breast cancer in women who do not show signs or symptoms of the disease.
Radiographic detection is generally considered safe, quick and relatively painless.
And radiographic detection is one of the best methods for early detection of breast cancer, when breast cancer is at a stage in which it is easy to treat, and before it becomes large enough to feel or cause symptoms.