Breast Cancer

Cancer is a group of diseases that make the normal body cell out of control. The cells divide uncontrollably and damage the normal body cells. Cancer has any types such as blood cancer, bone cancer, and breast cancer. Breast cancer is a huge risk to the health and fitness of women.

Table of Contents

What is Breast Cancer?

As the name indicates, breast cancer is the uncontrolled division of cells in the breast. There are different types of breast cancers. To understand the type of breast cancer, one should know the anatomy of the breast. There are three parts of the breast;

Lobules
Ducts
Connective Tissue

Lobules produce milk, and ducts transport the milk to the nipple. Most breast cancer starts in the duct or the lobule.

Incidence of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the second largest cancer after blood cancer. The incidence rate is higher in women, but men are not immune to breast cancer. In middle Africa, and Asia 27 in 100,000 and 92 in 100,000 people get breast cancer. Women who are 45 years of age or older are more prone to breast cancer than 60-year-old women. The fitness and health of women are very important.

Types of Breast Cancer

There are four most common types of cancer.’

Ductal Carcinoma In situ
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Metastatic Breast Cancer

Warning Signs of Breast Cancer

Most women ignore the obvious signs of breast cancer, and cancer goes undetected. Following are some of the warning signs that must not be ignored:

Pain in the breast
Swelling in the breast
Detectable lump in the breast or under the armpits
Pulling in of the nipple/ inverted nipple
Discharge of milk or blood or any discharge
Redness or flaky skin around the nipple

Self Breast Exam

Before any further screening in case of suspicion, you can do self-examination at home. There are many steps involved in the examination;

Step 1: Stand before a mirror with your chest straight and put your hands on your hips. Look for any changes in the breast size, colour, or shape. Also, see if there is any swelling or inflammation.

Step 2: Lift your arms above your head and look for the changes stated in step 1.

Step 3: Also, look for any discharge coming from the nipple.

Step 4: Lie down and feel for any lump in the breast. Feel the left breast from the right hand and right from the left hand. Cover the whole breast in a circular motion. Check for any bumps in the breast.

Step 5: Lastly, make the same motion while sitting down. It will be easier to do the self-examination while the skin is wet.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Most women fear getting mammograms or any screening for cancer. Most women are afraid of the results. Many do not have time in their busy life. Some are not ready to believe that they might have breast cancer. October is the month of breast cancer awareness. Campaigns and seminars are held to make people aware of breast cancer and remove the stigma.

Conclusion

It is important to get your screening done if you are 45 years old or older. Early detection can save about 90% of women from breast cancer. Health fitness should not be compromised in any case.

April 9, 2021