All about Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women. It impacts around 1.5 million women every year. India especially has a very low survival rate when it comes to breast cancer. This form of cancer causes the greatest amount of cancer-related deaths among women.

India is now witnessing a larger number of women from a younger age group getting diagnosed with breast cancer. The biggest problem is the lack of beast cancer awareness. If breast cancer is diagnosed early, it can be completely cured. More importantly, there are things we can do to try to minimise the risk of breast cancer as well.

Breast cancer develops in the cells of the breasts. Typically, it then forms in the lobules – the glands that produce milk or the ducts – the pathways that bring the milk from the glands to the nipple. It can also affect the fatty tissues or the fibrous connective tissue in the breasts.

Symptoms:

• a breast lump or tissue thickening that feels different than surrounding tissue and has developed recently
• breast pain
• red, pitted skin over your entire breast
• swelling in all or part of your breast
• a nipple discharge other than breast milk
• bloody discharge from your nipple
• peeling, scaling, or flaking of skin on your nipple or breast
• a sudden, unexplained change in the shape or size of your breast
• inverted nipple
• changes to the appearance of the skin on your breasts
• a lump or swelling under your arm

Diagnosis:

Self-examination: This must be done as often as possible. Stand in front of the mirror and check your breasts for any swelling, change in shape. Check the skin on your breasts for any of the symptoms mentioned above. Feel the area from your underarm to your breast for lumps. Check out our blog post here

• Mammogram: It is recommended to get annual mammograms to check for breast cancer. If your doctor suspects you may have a tumor or suspicious spot, they will also request a mammogram.
• Ultrasound: A breast ultrasound creates a picture of the tissues deep in your breast. The ultrasound uses sound waves to do this. An ultrasound can help your doctor distinguish between a solid mass, such as a tumor, and a benign cyst.

Want to know of the precautions you can take to minimize the risk of breast cancer? Check out this detailed blog post on home remedies! Check out the post here