Cancer is now the leading cause of female deaths in the 40 to 44 age groups-
This is the big fear---cancer is now the leading cause of female deaths in the 40 to 44 age groups and the primary cause of cancer deaths among women of all ages. All women can develop breastcancer but some seem more susceptible; those in the mid to late forties who mother or sister has the disease, who are overweight. These are indications that women who are married have a slightly lower breast cancer rate than those who are single, also those who have breast-fed not. The evidence is statistical only and there is no certainty of developing cancer even if you fit into all the risk categories. One thing is certain; if left untreated, breast tumours can spread rapidly invading lungs; skeleton, liver or brain.
Despite years of research, the cause of breast cancer remains unknown. Reports indicate that there is no correlation between cancer and the pill. Diet has been cited as a factor, based on statistical evidence showing breast cancer's greater prevalence in countries where people eat large quantities of animal fat. Injuries ---bumps and bangs on the bosom ---do not initiate the disease.
Early detection is vital; when malignancies are small they ate completely curable. It is a women's responsibility to keep watch over herself. Breast lumps are sometimes found by doctors during routine examinations but most changes of tissue are spotted by accident or during self examination. Finding them in the early stage can be a problem because cancerous growths rarely cause pain or feel sensitive to the touch.
Three techniques are used, often in combination to ensure detection; physical examination, thermography , which is a method of measuring heat given off by a tumour, and mammography, an X-ray technique which can spot very small tumours before they can be felt even by an experienced examiner .One of the best methods is a type of mammography known as xeroradiography , which reveals tiny dots of calcium that are commonly present in breast cancer.
SELF—EXAMINATION OF THE BREAST.
The importance of monthly self-examination of the breasts cannot be over-emphasized. Many women know they should examine themselves but do not because they are scared of what they might find. Don't worry if , on first examination when you are not familiar with the feel of your breasts, they appear to be full of irregularities, bumps and nodes.
The earlier you start examining your breasts the better , sixteen is not too young; this does not mean that a young women should start worrying about cancer; it simply helps her become familiar with the feel of her breasts and establishes a habit of self-examination.
Examination should be done in the week following menstruation and continued for six days. It is a ten-minute procedure. A woman who is familiar with the feel of her breasts in their normal state should be able to detect any thickening. Do it after a bath, as this is relaxing and allows the superficial blood vessels of the breasts to dilate and thus become easier to observe. If you do find anything, see a doctor without delay.
When a lump is found some women try to ignore it in the hope it will miraculously disappear. Frightened women often wait as long as a year; don't it could be fatal. And remember that statistics indicate that 65% to 80% of all breast lumps are not cancerous.
On examination doctors can often determine the type of growth. If it hurts it is unlikely to be malignant, also if it appears to be unanchored it is usually all right. A needle biopsy can be used-a needle is inserted and fluid or cells withdrawn for examination. However some growths are too small or too hidden to be checked by these methods and so a surgical procedure is necessary. The lump is cut out and immediately checked; within minutes the surgeon can tell if cells are cancerous.
If the result is positive, something has to be done as soon as possible. Many surgeons feel that the only prudent method is immediate surgery and frequently take the precaution of asking permission from the patient to perform a mastectomy (removal of the breast) if cancer is present. This they say, reduce both the risk and the expense of two operations. Even so, most women would rather know before head; a few days doesn't make any appreciable difference in growth, though a few weeks can.
A woman with breast cancer should know what options she has. The size of the lump is the determining factor. The choices are; radiation only , lumpectomy (the cutting away of only the lump) , simple mastectomy (the removal of only the breast) radical mastectomy (the removal of one breast and the nearby region) . It is usual for mastectomies to be followed by radiation treatment, which can be painful and irritating.
Efforts are being made to improve the ways in which radiation alone can be used on a cancerous spot to avoid mutilation, but this therapy is still debatable. Ultra-sonic treatments are being investigated, but are still in the exploratory stage. The current choice is a decision about the extent of surgery. Many doctors feel that complete amputation is not always necessary. Research has shown that where lumpectomy (removal of the lump only) was performed, cancers have not spread to the lymph nodes. In this respect it is considered as effective as more radical operations and less damaging psychologically. Other doctors point out that these were lucky cases. Partial mastectomy is also possible which, while more extensive than lumpectomy, and still spares most of the breast. The arguments against these procedure is that most cancers have been growing from six to eight years before they are discovered. By that time invariably they may have spread in microscopic clusters elsewhere in the breast.
Despite years of research, the cause of breast cancer remains unknown. Reports indicate that there is no correlation between cancer and the pill. Diet has been cited as a factor, based on statistical evidence showing breast cancer's greater prevalence in countries where people eat large quantities of animal fat. Injuries ---bumps and bangs on the bosom ---do not initiate the disease.
Early detection is vital; when malignancies are small they ate completely curable. It is a women's responsibility to keep watch over herself. Breast lumps are sometimes found by doctors during routine examinations but most changes of tissue are spotted by accident or during self examination. Finding them in the early stage can be a problem because cancerous growths rarely cause pain or feel sensitive to the touch.
Three techniques are used, often in combination to ensure detection; physical examination, thermography , which is a method of measuring heat given off by a tumour, and mammography, an X-ray technique which can spot very small tumours before they can be felt even by an experienced examiner .One of the best methods is a type of mammography known as xeroradiography , which reveals tiny dots of calcium that are commonly present in breast cancer.
SELF—EXAMINATION OF THE BREAST.
The importance of monthly self-examination of the breasts cannot be over-emphasized. Many women know they should examine themselves but do not because they are scared of what they might find. Don't worry if , on first examination when you are not familiar with the feel of your breasts, they appear to be full of irregularities, bumps and nodes.
The earlier you start examining your breasts the better , sixteen is not too young; this does not mean that a young women should start worrying about cancer; it simply helps her become familiar with the feel of her breasts and establishes a habit of self-examination.
Examination should be done in the week following menstruation and continued for six days. It is a ten-minute procedure. A woman who is familiar with the feel of her breasts in their normal state should be able to detect any thickening. Do it after a bath, as this is relaxing and allows the superficial blood vessels of the breasts to dilate and thus become easier to observe. If you do find anything, see a doctor without delay.
- Sitting or standing in front of mirror, take a good look at your breasts; get to know their shape, the tracery of the blood vessels. Be alert to any unusual puckering or dimpling, any change in the look of the nipple, or the appearance of bigger or more vessels.
- Stretch arms above the head, observe any change.
- Place hands on hips, check the shape and fall of the breasts.
- Fold arms , push hands against the area between wrist and elbow so that the pectoral muscles flex under the breasts; observe.
- Lie down, place one hand behind the head, then with the fingers of the other hand, flattened , gently feel the breast, starting at the nipple and working outwards in concentric circles; be careful not to miss any spots; be very aware of any swellings. Repeat with other breast.
- Check the armpits by raising one arm over your head. Insert the fingers of your other hand well into the armpit and with flattened fingers press it against the chest wall, checking for irregularities. Do the same on both sides. Armipts are as important as the breast area because they contain both the lymph glands and the tail of the breast.
When a lump is found some women try to ignore it in the hope it will miraculously disappear. Frightened women often wait as long as a year; don't it could be fatal. And remember that statistics indicate that 65% to 80% of all breast lumps are not cancerous.
On examination doctors can often determine the type of growth. If it hurts it is unlikely to be malignant, also if it appears to be unanchored it is usually all right. A needle biopsy can be used-a needle is inserted and fluid or cells withdrawn for examination. However some growths are too small or too hidden to be checked by these methods and so a surgical procedure is necessary. The lump is cut out and immediately checked; within minutes the surgeon can tell if cells are cancerous.
If the result is positive, something has to be done as soon as possible. Many surgeons feel that the only prudent method is immediate surgery and frequently take the precaution of asking permission from the patient to perform a mastectomy (removal of the breast) if cancer is present. This they say, reduce both the risk and the expense of two operations. Even so, most women would rather know before head; a few days doesn't make any appreciable difference in growth, though a few weeks can.
A woman with breast cancer should know what options she has. The size of the lump is the determining factor. The choices are; radiation only , lumpectomy (the cutting away of only the lump) , simple mastectomy (the removal of only the breast) radical mastectomy (the removal of one breast and the nearby region) . It is usual for mastectomies to be followed by radiation treatment, which can be painful and irritating.
Efforts are being made to improve the ways in which radiation alone can be used on a cancerous spot to avoid mutilation, but this therapy is still debatable. Ultra-sonic treatments are being investigated, but are still in the exploratory stage. The current choice is a decision about the extent of surgery. Many doctors feel that complete amputation is not always necessary. Research has shown that where lumpectomy (removal of the lump only) was performed, cancers have not spread to the lymph nodes. In this respect it is considered as effective as more radical operations and less damaging psychologically. Other doctors point out that these were lucky cases. Partial mastectomy is also possible which, while more extensive than lumpectomy, and still spares most of the breast. The arguments against these procedure is that most cancers have been growing from six to eight years before they are discovered. By that time invariably they may have spread in microscopic clusters elsewhere in the breast.
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