October is the month set aside by many to create awareness for this illness. I recently stumbled upon a shocking statistic which showed that almost half of all the women in the UK do not self-examine properly for Breast cancer!
Chances are that the figures for Nigerian women will be much more alarming. As a result of this, I have decided to do an article on this condition.
Let’s go!
Breast cancer is a common cancer in women worldwide. If you see eight women, one will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life.
What a lot of us don’t know is that Men can also get breast cancer (although this is quite rare). That said, for the purpose of this write-up, let’s discuss things from a woman’s point of view.
Breast cancer is most common in women above 50 years, but it can happen at any age. The cause of Breast cancer is not known, but we know that it starts when some breast cells start to grow abnormally.
This makes these abnormal cells grow faster than normal breast cells accumulate, and then form a breast lump, the most popular symptom of breast cancer. If these abnormal cells in the breast lump are not detected early enough, they can spread to other parts of the body.
This is known as Metastasis, which is a bad sign.
That said, most breast lumps in young women are not cancerous.
They are benign and can be removed without any future issues to worry about.
Other symptoms of Breast cancer include
- Changes to the skin of the breast, such as dimpling redness, or pitting.
- Peeling/Crusting of the skin around the nipple (the areola).
- Change in size or shape of the breast.
- Nipple discharge, which may be bloodstained.
- Swellings in one or both armpits
Breast pain is not commonly a symptom of Breast cancer.
Breast cancer is more common in these scenarios
Some genes can make a woman more likely to have cancer. So if she inherits them from her Parents, her risk is increased.
- Women above 50 years.
- Women who have had breast cancer in the past.
- Families that have breast cancer survivors/ breast cancer deaths.
- Tall/ Overweight women.
- Women who drink alcohol.
- Some genes can make a woman more likely to have cancer. So if she inherits them from her Parents, her risk is increased.
The single most potent weapon that we have in our fight against Breast cancer is Breast self-examination.
Every woman who has breasts should PLEASE learn how to examine her breasts.
If you don’t know how to, I want you to search on Youtube for videos that show how to go about it.
It has helped save many lives!
If you notice any lump or any other abnormal breast changes, please see your Doctor immediately.
Your Doctor will then proceed to evaluate your risk level for breast cancer, examine you physically and may ask you to carry out some tests, which will likely include a Mammographic screening or Tissue biopsy.
These will help in making a correct diagnosis.
For those in whom breast cancer is detected, there are several treatment options available, depending on how early or advanced the cancer is.
The treatment plan usually includes a combination of Surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy.
But remember: If detected early, there’s a good chance of recovery from Breast cancer!
