Breast Cancer: What Women Should Know

From relative obscurity, breast cancer has become one of the leading causes of deaths among women in the world. In 2001, about 200,000 cases of breast cancer have been reported in the United States, making it the second leading cause of cancer death in the US. It is, in fact, the most common malignancy problem that is affecting women in North America and Europe today.

But what is breast cancer and how do people get it?

Breast cancer occurs when malignant tumors in the breast grow and start to affect other tissues in the body. There is still no clear indications how tumors are created but what is often observed is that cancerous cells usually comes from ducts or glands.

Although women’s health organizations advise women to massage the breast daily and to feel for any lumps, it may a long time before a cancerous cell get big enough for us to feel it. By that time, it may already be too late. Doctors make use of mammograms for their diagnosis.

Breast at risk

All women are actually at risk, with the risk increasing with the presence of some risk factors that are already part of the natural cycle, for example, aging. Family history of breast cancer can also significantly affect the prognosis as heredity has been found to play a role. Women who got their periods before they were 12 years old and those who never had or had children after 30 years old are also more likely to develop breast cancer.

There are also risk factors that medical science can help alter such as hormonal problems through replacement therapies. Women are also advised to decrease their consumption of alcoholic drinks, exercise every day and decrease the use of birth control pills. Breastfeeding has been found to decrease the risk of breast cancer development.

Although there are some factors that women can avoid to prevent breast cancer from developing, cause and effect relationships between these factors and breast cancer is still debatable. For women who are already at high risk, doctors often recommend a drug called Tamoxifen, which is known to decrease the risk by as much 50 percent when taken in five years. Still, like all medications, Tamoxifen has side effects such as hot flushes, vaginal discharges and sometimes even blood clots. Taking the drug can also lead to pulmonary emobolus, stroke and uterine cancer, although these are all isolated cases.

Another avenue that women can go to is Vitamin A, which some studies show to be effective in decreasing the risk. Still, research is still in the initial stages and nothing has been proven yet. Other things that are being linked to the breast cancer fight are phytoestrogens, which can be found in soya, Vitamin E, and Vitamin C.

But until something concrete is found in research, the only thing that women can do to ensure that they are safe from breast cancer is early detection. This can be done through daily self-examinations as well as annual check ups and mammogram tests. It is also important that women know the beginnings of breast cancer. Here are some of the signs that they should watch out for.

Lumps in the breast and in the underarms
Scaling of the skin of the breast and of the nipple
Redness in the skin of the breast and of the nipple
Changes in the size of their breasts
Discharges from the nipple

If these signs are observed, it is best to consult a specialist so that you can know whether you have breast cancer or not.
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A 10-Year Drive To Put The Brakes On Breast Cancer

A 10-Year Drive To Put The Brakes On Breast Cancer


Breast cancer is a highly treatable disease that now has a survival rate of 85 percent. Yet more than 212,000 women are still diagnosed with the condition each year.

Since early diagnosis is an important key to successful treatment, doctors say it's important that all women over the age of 18 do a Breast Self-Exam (BSE) every month, two or three days after their menstrual cycle. In addition, women between 20 and 39 should have a clinical breast exam at least every three years and women 40 and older should have a mammogram every year.

For the past 10 years, BMW of North America has worked with The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation-the largest fund-raiser for breast cancer research in America-to help spread the message of early detection and to help ensure that breast cancer research continues. The groups' Ultimate Drive program has raised millions to help fund the efforts.

The initiative, fully underwritten by BMW, consists of two fleets of specifically badged BMWs making a cross-country trek, stopping in communities along the way to hold daylong events. People will be invited to test-drive the cars-at no cost to the participants-to raise money for breast cancer research, education and screening treatment programs.

The car company donates $1 directly to the Komen Foundation for each mile driven, along with whatever other proceeds are received from the program. Upon completion of every drive, each participant adds his or her own name to the Signature Vehicle-this year, a BMW 3-Series.

This year's goal is to raise over $1 million, bringing the program's 10-year total up to over $10 million. To help celebrate the initiative's 10th anniversary, the 240-stop cross-country trek has been expanded to include Alaska.

People can test-drive the cars to help fight breast cancer. They can also:

• Regularly conduct BSEs, have clinical exams and mammograms

• Stop smoking and stressing

• Get more exercise

• Cut or reduce their alcohol consumption

• Watch their diet. Try to eat plenty of olive oil, fruits, vegetables, grains, fresh fish and poultry.
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Breast Cancer Ribbon

These days almost every worthy cause finds itself a proper ribbon, without getting into the debate about the use of ribbons and how people use them, there are not many ribbons that I know of that are more important than the breast cancer ribbon.

Breast cancer is a dangerous enemy, while it is true that the awareness to its risks and the understanding of the prevention measures that need to be taken on a regular basis has increased over the years and had probably saved many lives, some people are still not aware of breast cancer and others prefer to live in some sort of denial.

So why is it important to use the pink ribbon and join the fight against breast cancer? First of all it shows the most important thing a person can show, it shows that you care, its shows that you are willing to give a little of your time or energy to try and educate more people, to warn some others and to maybe, just by doing this very small action contribute to saving a life. This is not a joke, sometimes awareness is all that separates the ill from the healthy and the dead from the living, we are at an age where people are learning of new dangers every day, and with all these upcoming potential dangers of terrorism and natural disasters breast cancer has been here long enough and has cause so much pain and suffering that it certainly deserves to be treated as something we should all remember, even on a daily basis.

Every October is the international breast cancer awareness month, this is the time to try and do the most to increase the public awareness of this disease, and educate woman about the ways they can fight breast cancer, this month is also dedicated to raising money for the many different organizations and foundations that are working all year round on helping victims of breast cancer, some of these patients have no money and no funds they can use to try and treat the cancer, and these organizations help them get the support that they need.

So all you got to do is just place one of these pink ribbons on your shirt of jacket, and show the solidarity you have with the breast cancer patients, the victims and the family and friends of those who have been effected by this terrible disease. Remember that you do not have to limit yourself only to the month of October, and that it is enough for only one person to ask you about this ribbon – once a year to make a huge difference, think about hundreds, if not thousands of people like you doing the same thing every day, and each one of these people is approached by an uneducated person, how many lives can be speared.

Lets hope that in the future the fight against breast cancer, as the fight against all kinds of cancer, will achieve its goals and that this disease will claim less victims, that modern medicine and science will find cures and that more and more people around the world will live healthier and happier lives.

Visit http://breastcancer.healthandcosmetics.com/ for more Breast Cancer information.


Keywords:
breast cancer, cancer, breasts cancer, woman cancer
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