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Article Series: Breast Cancer
Help Me Understand Breast Cancer
Breast
Cancer - The Signs and Symptoms
The importance of understanding the signs
and symptoms that may alert us to breast cancer cannot be overstated.
By detecting this cancer in its early stage there are more
options open to us for treatment and a stronger likelihood
of being cured.
The
most common indicator that something is not right is that
of a lump or a thickening in the breast tissue. Since the breast
tissue can normally feel lumpy or a little more tender and
thicker at certain times of the month this can make it a bit
more difficult in determining if something is unusual.
As well, it is good to keep in mind that, by far, most breast
lumps aren't cancerous. Beside the changes that can occur during
the menstrual cycles there are also changes that naturally
occur with pregnancy. There can be benign issues of cysts or
fibroadenomas (basically an encapsulated benign tumor). And
there can be bruising and swelling from an injury or infection.
So to be able to detect something unusual it starts with first
of all knowing what your breasts are normally like in appearance.
It means standing in front of a mirror and taking note of their
size and shape and the way they fall against your body. You
need to stand with your hands akimbo (on your hips) and then
held above your head. Be sure to move to look at how they appear
from side views as well.
Every
month you will need to do a breast self-exam. It is
recommended that you pick a time when the breasts are not swollen
or tender due to the hormonal fluctuations of your period.
Usually a week following your period is a good time. Doing
it at the same time each month will help reinforce what feels
normal. For women who are menopausal it is still helpful to
pick the same time each month. In both cases it can serve to
help us do it regularly.
Naturally if you feel that something is new or seems changed
this will be the first sign to take note of. It may be apparent
in the way your breast falls or it may only be in feeling it
through the touch of your fingers. It should be noted that
usually a cancerous lump will not feel painful.
In addition to this there are other associated symptoms such
as: the nipple looking indented, a clear or bloody discharge
from the nipple, the skin of the breast being pitted and red
or even an area of indentation of the skin of the breast as
a whole.
If you are not a women in menopause it may be helpful to wait
through another cycle to see if the change is permanent but
never should you wait if you are concerned or worried that
something is not right with your body. Be sure to keep a mental
record or write down anything concerning times that might prove
helpful for your doctor in his examination.
And bear in mind that eight out of ten times an unusual lump
will prove to be benign. It is not easy to face the issue of
breast cancer and to keep a close watch on a regular basis,
but by doing so we may have the opportunity to save our lives
by detecting it before it has a chance to spread.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
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