We are wearing pink to work tomorrow and I prepared a note that I'd like to share with all the women colleagues. Thought of sharing it here on my blog so that it can reach out to others too. Have collated information that might be useful or could be used as a guide for self examination. In case of any doubt, we have doctors to rush to and get the timely diagnosis and treatment.
Breast cancer is the
most commonly diagnosed cancer in women:
Breast
cancer has ranked number one cancer among Indian females with age adjusted rate
as high as 25.8 per 100,000 women and mortality 12.7 per 100,000 women. Breast
cancer projection for India during time periods 2020 suggests the number to go
as high as 1797900. Better health awareness and availability of breast cancer
screening programmes and treatment facilities would cause a favorable and
positive clinical picture in the country.
The
positive news is that if breast cancer is diagnosed and treated early, the
five-year survival rate is nearly 99 percent.
Obesity can increase
your likelihood of developing breast cancer: Studies show that obesity increases
the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, possibly due to high estrogen levels
found in fat tissue. Exercising regularly and eating a nutritious diet can help
you maintain a healthy weight.
Taking birth control
pills may increase your risk of breast cancer: According to several
studies, if you currently use birth control pills, you may slightly increase
your risk of breast cancer, especially if you are a young woman. However, your
risk level returns to normal about 10 years after you stop taking the pill.
Most of the research on this topic applies to high-dose estrogen pills, which
were more common in the past; more studies need to be done to determine if
newer, low-dose estrogen formulas carry a similar risk. Talk to your health
care professional about how birth control pills may impact your cancer risk;
some studies suggest they may reduce risk for other cancers.
Breaking
Myths about Breast Cancer
Only women with a family history of breast cancer are at risk
Roughly 70 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors for the disease. But the family-history risks are these: If a first-degree relative (a parent, sibling, or child) has had or has breast cancer, your risk of developing the disease approximately doubles. Having two first-degree relatives with the disease increases your risk even more.
Drinking
milk (dairy) causes breast cancer
According
to the National Breast Cancer foundation, studies have shown that dairy
consumption does not increase your risk of developing breast Cancer.
Men
do not get breast cancer
Each
year it is estimated that approximately 2,190 men will be diagnosed with breast
cancer and 410 will die. While this percentage is still small, men should also
check themselves periodically by doing a breast self-exam while in the shower
and reporting any changes to their physicians.
Caffeine
causes breast cancer
No
causal connection has been found between drinking caffeine and getting breast
cancer; In fact, some research suggests that caffeine may actually lower your
risk.
Antiperspirants and deodorants cause breast cancer:
No clear scientific evidence has been found to support this claim.
If your mother did
not have breast cancer, you are not at risk
Although
a family history of the disease does increase your risk, anyone can develop
breast cancer. In fact, most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer do not
have a family history of the disease. Regardless, it is important to know your
family history and talk to a health care professional about your risk to
determine when and how often you should get screened.
Breast
cancer has high survival rates, but that comes down to breast awareness and
monitoring
Who should do a
self-breast exam?
Every
woman, under 18 or over 50 and everyone in between should do a regular
self-check at least once a month.
All
women over 20 should be breast aware while women aged 30 to 40 should get a
clinical breast exam (by a doctor) done every three years. Women aged over 40
should do a clinical breast exam every year.
What does it mean to
be 'breast aware'?
25 per cent of all women with cancer, have
breast cancer. It is sad that there is still stigma
over being aware of your own breasts and body. Being
breast aware is all about gauging what is normal for you - as an individual
woman. Women's
breasts keep changing throughout the month and throughout their life. What is
normal for me or you will not be normal for another person. The only way to
know when something doesn't seem right is to understand what is normal for you
personally and to then monitor your breasts regularly.
When should you
check?
Ideally
it is best to check your breasts after your menstrual period as the hormonal
changes during or right before menstruation can affect your results month to
month. Breasts are also painful for many women during the time, which could
make it harder to understand if something is wrong.
Before
and during your shower is the best and most convenient time to do a
self-examination.
Which areas should
you check?
The
self-exam should include three areas of your body:
- Breasts,
- Collarbone area
and
- Armpits
What should you look
for?
In
all these areas you are looking for:- Lumps, painful
or otherwise
- Moving or fixed
swelling in any of these areas
- Differences in
skin texture like puckering or dimpling anywhere on the breast
- Any unnatural or
painful discharge from the breast
- Drastic
differences in shape or size of either breast (usually women tend to have
slight differences in sizes, which makes understanding what's normal so
important)
- Any rash or
redness around the nipples
- Any pain that is
not related to menstruation or other cyclical pains
Steps
- Stand straight
with your hands loose by your side, look at your breasts and collarbone
area. Look for any visible swelling in either area or skin texture
differences on the breasts.
- Place your hands
on your hips and bend forward. Watch the way your skin looks and the way
your breasts move to check for anomalies.
- Place your palms
on the back of your head and straighten up. Look at the armpits, and to
the sides and under the breasts for any swelling, skin texture
differences, rashes or shape variations.
- After this, lift
only your left arm up. You can place the palm on your head or hold it
straight up.
- Place your right
hand on your left breast and use the pads of your fingers to start the
exam from the centre of the breast.
- Move your
fingers firmly, lightly pressing with the pads of the fingers, in
concentric circles outward, feeling for lumps or swelling in the entire
breast tissue. Also note any uncharacteristic pain.
- Do the same in
the left armpit and the left collarbone area.
- Let your left
arm down and repeat the entire process from Step 4 with your right arm up,
using your left hand to check your right breast, armpit and collarbone
area.
The
best way to do this is during a shower. You can repeat this lying down on your
back when the breast tissue lies closes to the bone.
Why is it important?
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world but it also has one of the highest survival rates. Being aware of your body can help eliminate or manage breast cancer risk. You do not need to worry even if you find a lump or something abnormal. It could be anything from harmless fibroids to scar tissue. The most important thing is to know before it's too late.
Breast-feeding,
healthy lifestyle choices and weight management have been proven to have some
effect on mitigating the risk of this kind of cancer. However genetic factors,
family history of cancer and age seem to be high-risk factors. However,
researchers have not yet been able to find exact reasons or causes and until
then, regular checks are vital for all women of all ages.
