Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer

We are in Breast Cancer Awareness month. As such, I wanted to spend time on the importance of awareness of breast cancer. October is the designated national awareness month for reminding people of this disease. It generates donations, it reminds people to perform self evaluations, and schedule annual doctor visits, it also honors survivors of the disease as well as provides for a national moment to pay homage to those who have succumbed to it.

Breast cancer is the third most common form of cancer behind skin cancer and prostate cancer, and according to www.medicinenet.com one in every eight women in the U.S. develops breast cancer, men are able to get it but the numbers are not nearly as high as they are in women. The importance of having the awareness of your breast can’t be scoffed to the side. 

Getting routine annual check-ups with your medical doctor is critical, the American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms for women aged 45-54 and every two years for women over 55 years of age. Breast cancer in men is rare with about 2400 diagnosed cases a year. Men typically don’t think of being able to get breast cancer and so disregard the same signs and symptoms given to women allowing the spread of the disease. As a result the outcome is usually worse.

Breast cancer survival rates have been on the rise as the number of deaths have been falling, largely due to efforts in an increase in the general public’s knowledge of the disease and its symptoms; how to properly perform at home self examines;  and signs and symptoms of the disease. Unfortunately for African American women, this group has been found in several studies to have a significantly worse survival rate compared to white women. It is vital that self examination or “knowing your breast” becomes a part of your life.

Other than physical changes that can be felt in a mass or observed by a lump (hard and irregular or soft and rounded) on your body what are some other warning signs of breast cancer.

Here is a list of indicators that should get more attention:

• Redness, scales, thickening of the nipple or skin
• Breast and/or nipple pain
• Discharge other than milk
• Swelling
• Skin irritation or dimpling/pits

Also keep tabs on your lymph nodes for swelling as lymph nodes are part of your immune system and some cancers can be detected there before they present in your breast. With that said, lymph nodes can respond to a number of stressors and sicknesses so don’t equate a swollen lymph node to cancer.

There is ongoing research into another option that is actually being implemented and even used now as a potential early detection of breast cancer. It isn’t accepted as a whole throughout the medical community as an accurate tool but it is being viewed with potential positive results. It is Infrared Thermal Imaging. Explained simply; breast are compared for higher thermal activity using infrared imaging and detecting precancerous tissue. Here are some links to read more in depth in to this. I have placed varying opinion pieces here so that you can learn the pro’s/con’s of it. And as always, consult with your physician about what is best for you.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164870/

http://www.breastthermography.com/breast_thermography_mf.htm

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/breast-cancer-screening-thermogram-no-substitute-mammogram

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316632.php

Remember, no one knows your body like you do. If you notice that something just isn’t normal inspect it further, reach out to your medical professional. Don’t overlook or shoot down something you know to be abnormal within yourself.

We at Genesis hope you make breast cancer awareness a constant self physical examine. We all have women in our lives so please help them out, lets make it a team effort, make conversation of it, ask your loved ones if they have been doing their due diligence on their health, have they had their annual physical assessments done.

Below is a list of resources for information on the topic.

https://www.breastcancer.org/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/breast-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352470

https://cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer.html

https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/

Disclaimer: This article is intended as a friendly reminder with recommendations. It is not medical advice, direction or prescription of any sort. Please refer to professional services for any health-related questions, concerns and relief.