Breast Cancer —early detection is the key
Breast cancer Awareness!
We all know that “Cancer” is a devastating disease which not only causes immense suffering to the patients and their relatives but also burdens the healthcare system. Tumor that has developed from the cells of the breast is known as Breast Cancer. Cancer starts when the cells begin to multiply in a out of control fashion and it can start anywhere in the body. Cancer can either be localized (benign) or metastatic (spread to distant sites). The process, by which the primary tumor spreads to distant location, is known as metastasis. We should know that nobody dies of breast cancer as long as it is localized but it becomes lethal only when it has spread to the distant organs of the body. At present the ability to treat localized cancers has improved appreciably but metastatic disease continues to be a therapeutic challenge. Some of the risk factors of breast cancer are being a woman, being older than 50 years of age, having a family history of the disease, taking hormonal replacement therapy and having mutation in BRCA 1 and 2 genes.To spread awareness about it we celebrate October as a breast cancer awareness month.
If breast cancer is found and treated early, the five-year survival rate for the disease is 98 percent. Early detection is the best protection which can be achieved through “screening”. Symptoms of breast cancer include change in skin color/texture, change in shape or size of the breast, discharge from the nipple and/ or lump or thickening in the breast. Screening can be best achieved either by a clinical breast exam or a mammogram which is the X-ray of the breast and can detect breast cancer two to three years before a lump is felt.
Know the risk factors for breast- cancer
Be aware of changes in the breast
Get screened because early detection is the best protection!!!