Facts You Should Know About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a disease that can send chills up a womans spine, but men are not totally immune from it.The breast is composed of a collection of glands and fatty tissue which lies between the skin and chest wall. Inside a womans breast, these glands produce milk after the birth of a baby. 1520 lobes compose each gland. Tubes (also known as ducts) transfer milk from the glands to the nipple. As milk is produced and fills the breast, the glands and ducts enlarge. The main factor determining the size and shape of the breast is fatty tissue. If a tumor is ever found to be growing in the breast, it should be checked by a doctor as it might be cancerous.

A collection of cells prone to abnormal growth tendencies, creating an out of control population comprise a tumor. A tumor that is incapable of spreading through the body is referred to as benign, or noncancerous. Malignant (cancerous) tumors are those that are capable of spreading throughout the body. Breast cancer is diagnosed when malignant (cancerous) tumors are found in the breast. Breast cancers normally begin in the ducts or glands; but they are capable of developing in other regions of the breast. Cancer of the breast is the most common cancer diagnosis for women of North America and Europe. The number of cases of breast cancer diagnosed each year exceeds 200,000. Breast cancer is the second most deadly form of cancer for American women, with lung cancer being first.

Just because a woman develops breast cancer, it does not mean the disease will take her life. Even though a womans chances of developing breast cancer are 1 in 8, her chances of dying from it are 1 in 28. The largest risk for a woman to develop breast cancer is her age. Older women have a greater chance of developing breast cancer than younger women. A woman who started menstruating at a young age has an increased risk. Other factors to consider regarding a womans risk include: the possibility of mutations on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, did anyone in the womans family history develop breast cancer and how old was she at the time of her first pregnancy? If a woman knows breast cancer is in her lineage, she is advised to undergo genetic testing as 310% of breast cancers are related to gene mutations. A woman can help reduce her risk of breast cancer if she will maintain a healthy weight, limit her alcohol consumption to no more than five drinks per week and exercise regularly. Other ways a woman might help protect herself from breast cancer is to have her first child before the age of 30, breastfeed the baby for at least six weeks, and avoid prolonged use of hormone replacement when she reaches menopause. A final thought if a woman shows to have a high risk of breast cancer, she should discuss the use of a drug called Tamoxifen with her doctor. Using this drug for a period of five years has been shown to help reduce a womans risk of developing a tumor by 50%.

A womans chances of surviving and curing breast cancer greatly increase with early detection. Incorporating selfexams, clinical exams and mammograms into her healthcare routine increases a womans chances for early detection. {{{Between the ages of 2039, a woman should undergo a clinical exam every three years. | A woman between the ages of 20 and 39 is advised to undergo a clinical exam once every three years. | A clinical exam should be part of a womans health care every three years between the ages of 20 and 39. | Between the ages of 2039, women are advised to have a clinical exam once every three years

Article Source: http://www.search4allinfo.com

Check out ecanceranswer.net for all kinds of Cancer information from Cancer Symptoms to Cancer and Cancer Treatment.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated