October 29, (THEWILL) – The month of October is breast cancer awareness month, an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the necessary steps to detect the disease early.
Breast cancer is the number one cancer killer of women world over. Late presentation of patients at advanced stages when little or no benefit can be derived from any form of therapy is the hallmark of breast cancer, particularly in Nigerian women. This is indeed a worrisome trend. It is our hope that this article will help increase the awareness of the deadly disease and also encourage someone to do what is necessary to stay alive.
What is breast cancer?
It is a malignant cancerous growth that begins in the tissues of the breast. Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way. It is the most common cancer in women, but can also appear in men although not very common. And it kills more people annually than malaria, HIV/AIDS or any other known disease.
Causes of breast cancer
There are many risk factors that have been associated with breast cancer:
• Being a female is one of the factors that one can’t really do much about. The chances of getting it increases with age; the older you get, the more chances of getting it.
• As with any other genetic disease, a history of breast cancer in close relatives, especially in mothers and siblings, has been associated with the risks of getting breast cancer.
• Early onset of menstrual periods before the age of 12 years or reaching menopause after the age of 55 years has both been associated with risks of developing breast cancer.
• Being overweight
• Using hormone replacement therapy
• Taking birth control pills
• Alcohol
• Not having children or having your first child after age 35
• Having dense breasts
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer
Do not ignore changes noticed around the breasts. Early detection and prompt treatment is the key to surviving this deadly disease. Some common signs to watch out for are:
• A lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast
• Discharge from either of your nipples which may be streaked with blood
• A lump or swelling in either of your armpits
• Change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
• Dimpling on the skin of your breasts
• A rash on or around your nipple
• A change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast
• Pain in either of your breasts or armpits that is not related to your period
Breast screening methods
There are certain breast routine tests that should be carried out once a woman attains the age of 20 years and above. These tests should be recommended by your physician. Such routine tests include:
• Breast self-examination
• Mammogram
• Ultrasound Scan
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MIR), a medical imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of the organs and tissues in your body.
• If you are between ages 20 and 39, get a clinical breast exam every three years.
• If you are over 40 or older, get a mammogram and clinical breast exam every year.
Diagnosis and treatment
Surgery, radiation treatment and many new and advanced therapies are now available in the developed world and they have contributed to the good prognosis seen in the western world. Many patients now live longer, but the reverse is the case in our country. Access to care is limited and the majority of these advanced therapies are nowhere to be found.
Prevention: How to reduce your risk
• Limit alcohol intake. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.
• Don’t smoke.
• Control your weight
• Be physically active. Exercise is as close to a silver bullet for good health as there is and women who are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer. Regular exercise is also one of the best ways to help keep weight in check.
• Breast-feed. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect.
• Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy.
• Avoid exposure to radiation and environmental pollution, such as computerised tomography, high doses of radiation, exposure to the chemicals found in some workplaces, gasoline fumes and vehicle exhaust.
• A low-fat diet appears to offer only a slight reduction in the risk of breast cancer. A healthy diet can help maintain a healthy weight, a key factor in breast cancer prevention.
• Avoid birth control pills, particularly after age 35
• Avoid post-menopausal hormones
• Find out your family history. You may be at high risk of breast cancer if you have a mother or sister who developed breast or ovarian cancer or male family members who developed breast or prostate cancer. A doctor or genetic counselor can help you understand your family history of the disease.
Breast cancer by the numbers
• 10 per cent – The five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients
• 1 million new cases diagnosed globally
• 400,000 annual deaths caused by cancer globally
• 16 per cent of all cancer-related deaths in Nigeria is as a result of breast cancer
• 4.4 million women living with cancer globally
• 1 in 8 women affected during their lives
55 per cent of breast cancer cases occur in developing countries.
