October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

rubiyatrumel123
Oct 31, 2020
2 min read

Since today is the last day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I will be sharing some more information with all of you!

Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control.

Signs and Symptoms

Knowing how your breasts normally look and feel is an important part of breast health. Although having regular screening tests for breast cancer is important, mammograms do not find every breast cancer. This means it's also important for you to be aware of changes in your breasts and to know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass. A painless, hard mass that has irregular edges is more likely to be cancer, but breast cancers can be tender, soft, or round. They can even be painful.

It's important to have any new breast mass, lump, or breast change checked by an experienced health care professional.

Kinds of Breast Cancer

There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer.

The most common kinds of breast cancer are:

Invasive ductal carcinoma. The cancer cells grow outside the ducts into other parts of the breast tissue. Invasive cancer cells can also spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.
Invasive lobular carcinoma. Cancer cells spread from the lobules to the breast tissues that are close by. These invasive cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body.

Risk Factors

Risk Factors You Cannot Change

Getting older.
Genetic mutations.
Reproductive history.
Having dense breasts.
Family history of breast or ovarian cancer.
Previous treatment using radiation therapy.
Women who took the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES).
Personal history of breast cancer or certain non-cancerous breast diseases.

Risk Factors You Can Change

Not being physically active.
Being overweight or obese after menopause.
Taking hormones.
Reproductive history.
Drinking alcohol.
Smoking

Note💡: Having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease, and not all risk factors have the same effect. Most women have some risk factors, but most women do not get breast cancer.

How to Cope with a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

When you are told that you have breast cancer, you may feel like you have lost control of your life. You might be overwhelmed by the decisions you have to make. These feelings are normal. Do not let them keep you from taking action though.

The diagram on the right clearly shows how to exactly cope with such diagnosis.

Here is a video survivors sharing how they cope with breast cancer and their advice:

I hope your knowledge on breast cancer has increased! Bringing awareness is important to help anyone around you and can really save someone's life by taking early precautions.

Stay positive and Stay safe!