Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a disease that affects both men and women alike, but is nearly one hundred times more commonly found in women. It is caused by a tumor being formed in the breast, due to cells not behaving properly and forming an unnatural growth. These tumors can be either benign tumors, which are not cancerous and can be removed, or they can be malignant tumors which are cancerous. Malignant tumors can also often be removed, but there is a chance that they will return after removal, and they can also spread to other areas of the body to damage or cause problems with other organs and tissues.

There aren’t necessarily any risk factors involved in contracting the disease other than age and gender. Although it’s possible to be at risk at a younger age, that risk significantly increases as one gets older. There are in fact other factors that can play a role in contracting breast cancer. A family history with the disease can be a factor, especially if the person at risk of breast cancer was a close family member such as a mother, daughter, or sister. Also, different hormonal, environmental, and dietary issues can increase the chances of developing breast cancer.

The most important factors in fighting the disease are awareness and early detection. It’s important to know that this is not a disease that only affects older women, and that it is generally not discovered by pain in the area. This is why it is incredibly important to regularly examine yourself by way of checking for lumps around the breast area and also being aware of changes to the skin surrounding the breasts. If you should happen to feel or notice some of these changes, it is important that you get them checked out by a doctor immediately. Regular breast exams and mammograms (an x-ray examination of the breast used to detect possible disorders) are very important, even more so for women past the age of 40 as the risk of breast cancer increases.

Once breast cancer is detected, treatment will be administered in either the form of surgery or different types of therapy. Some of these therapies may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. Support groups are also an important way of treating the person’s mental well being, as just the simple detection of a slight change to the breast area can cause one to become extremely alarmed. These groups can answer questions and provide help and support at a time when it is very much needed.

Even though breast cancer is a highly treatable disease, the more aware of it you are at the early stages the better you will be at forming a defense. Being aware and conducting or scheduling regular breast exams can be the key to early detection and possibly even prevention.