What Should I Know About Breast Cancer?

Some studies indicate that breast cancer in women is second only to skin cancer. It is also possible for men to develop this disease, women are up to 100 times more likely to develop it than men.

Other studies and research indicate that this type of cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in women. The first leading cause is lung cancer. Some of this research at the time of this writing indicates the chance of dying from this disease is one in 33, but that number is decreasing as new forms of treatment and early detection are being implemented.

This disease takes several forms and can occur in different parts of the breast. The traditional form of treatment is with radiation, chemotherapy or surgery. The type of treatment that the doctor will prescribe depends on the type of cancer, how far it has spread and where it is located which treatment program is determined for any individual.

The great news is that due to the increased awareness of breast cancer and its consequence, there has been a great deal of progress in curing and preventing it. If you find that you do have a high risk of this disease due to lifestyle, family history or other factors then you should definitely discuss with your doctor any preventative measures you should be taking.

Who is More Likely to Get It?

Some research at the time the research was conducted indicates that 1 in 8 women in the US will experience some form of it in her lifetime. Of course with improvements in breast cancer awareness, prevention and treatment, this numbers will probably get better.

Research indicates that every women is at risk of getting it, however there are certain factors that can increase this risk in certain women. Now just because you are at a higher risk does not mean that you will develop breast cancer and just because you do not have these risk factors does not mean that

Some of the common factors that increase the risk are smoking, age and family history.

Of the three, only smoking can be controlled. The other two cannot. As you get older the risk of breast cancer gets greater. This means that as you get older you should definitely become more vigilant in preventative measures. Some research (at the time of the research) indicates that almost 8 out of 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer are over 50. You risk will also increase if someone else in your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
A couple of other increased risk factors that should be considered are as follows:

Caucasian women have a higher risk of developing this disease but African-American women more often die from the disease. Asians, Hispanics and American Indian women are at a lower risk.

If you started your menstruation before age 12, you are at an increased risk of breast cancer.
If you go through menopause after 55, this will also slightly increase the risk.

If you took the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) may increase the risk of breast cancer

Not eating correctly, not exercising and using alcohol all may increase the risk.
Long term use of hormone replacement therapy may also increase the risk.
Using birth control pills also may increase the risk of breast cancer.

The good news is that if you eat healthy, exercise, reduce you alcohol consumption, have children and breastfeed for as long as 1 1/2 to 2 years, your risk of breast cancer may be reduced.

What Can I Do to Reduce the Risk?

The most important thing you can do is to check your breasts at least monthly to look for lumps. If you find any lumps, then you need to have your doctor check these lumps out to ensure they are not cancer. The reason for this is that the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances that it can be healed.
You should consider following the American Cancer Society recommendations for how to do a breast exam and also when and how often you should get a clinical breast examination by a health care professional. You should also follow the advice of how often to get mammograms from your doctor,

You should also report to your doctor any changes in the breast including dimpling, swelling, discharges other than milk or any other change to the nipple. It is likely that these are not a form of breast cancer, but if they are you will want to get treatment early since this is one of the key factors in healing this disease.