M/s MOHAN MEDICOSE and SONS
Breast Cancer Guide
1. What is Breast Cancer.
2. Risk factors.
3.Signs & Symptons.
4. Self Exam Guide.
5. Types of Breast Cancer.
6. Stages of Breast Cancer.
7. Myths of Breast Cancer.
8. Bra For Healthy Breast.
9. Bra's are linked to Breast Cancer.
10. Breast Care.
Now will explain about all the breast cancer.
1.What is Breast Cancer.
Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. It is considered a heterogeneous disease—differing by individual, age group, and even the kinds of cells within the tumors themselves. Obviously no woman wants to receive this diagnosis, but hearing the words “breast cancer” doesn’t always mean an end. there can be the beginning of learning how to fight, getting the facts, and finding hope.
A lot of women in the United States get breast cancer more than any other type of cancer except for skin cancer. It is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in the women.
Each and every year it is estimated that nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. Approximately 1,700 men will also be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year. Similarly evaluation of men with breast masses is in contrast to that in women, including mammography.
2.RISK FACTORS
Yet no one knows the true and exact causes of breast cancer measures, though the researches have had been made and researches has shown that women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop this disease.
Risk factors for breast cancer include:
Age: Half of all women diagnosed are over age 65 years.
Weight: Being obese or overweight is main cause.
Diet & Lifestyle: Lack of physical activity, a diet high in saturated fat, and alcoholic intake of more than two drinks every day.
Menstrual & Reproductive History: Early menstruation or late menopause.
when woman give birth to their first child at an older age or not having given birth, or taking birth control pills for more than ten years if she's under 35 in age.
Family & Personal History: If we reveal the family history of breast cancer—particularly a mother, sister. or a personal history of breast cancer of benign (non-cancer) breast diseases.
Medical & Other Factors: The Dense breast tissue (often identified by a mammogram), past radiation therapy to the breast or chest area. A history of hormone treatments—such as estrogen and progesterone, or gene changes— including BRCA1, BRCA2, and others.
3.Common Signs & Symptoms Of Breast Cancer IncludeS:
the woman feels a change in how the breast or nipple feels.You may experience nipple tenderness or notice a lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area of your body.
The change in how the breast or nipple looks:
This may mean a change in the size or shape of the breast or a nipple that is turned slightly inward. Also the skin of the breast, areola or nipple may appear scaly, red or swollen or may have ridges or pitting that resembles the skin of an orange.
Nipple discharge:
we have seen that early breast cancer does not cause pain. Even so, a woman should see her health care provider about breast pain or any other breast cancer symptoms that do not go away and she feel better.
4.BREAST SELF-EXAM
By spending a few minutes to do a breast self-exam a minimum of once a month can make a lifetime of difference. Nearly 70% of all breast cancers are found through self-exams and with early detection the 5-year survival rate is 98%. If you find a lump, schedule an appointment with your doctor, but don't panic—8 out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. For additional peace of mind, call your doctor whenever you have concerns. so that you can be treated at right time.
HOW TO DO A BREAST SELF-EXAM
In the Shower
By Fingers flat, move gently over every part of each breast. Use your right hand to examine the left breast, left hand for the right breast. Please Check for any lump, hard knot, or thickening. Carefully observe any changes in breasts.
Before a Mirror
Woman must inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides and raise your arms high overhead.
she should look for any changes in the contour of each breast, a swelling, a dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Then rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Left and right breasts will not exactly match—few women's breasts do.
Lying Down
A woman can place a pillow under her right shoulder and put your right arm behind your head. With the fingers of your left hand flat, press your right breast gently in small circular motions, moving vertically or in a circular pattern covering all area of her breast.
She must use light, medium, and firm pressure. By squeezing the nipple; check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.
5.Types of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer type is elaborated by whether it begins in the ducts or lobules, the organs responsible for breast milk production. For a person to Understand the specific type of breast cancer can help him ask better questions and work with his physicians to get the best breast cancer treatments.
Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ (DCIS):
DCIS is one of the type of early breast cancer confined to the inside of the ductal system.
Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IDC)
IDC is commonly viewed type of breast cancer representing 78% of all malignancies. These lesions appear as stellate (star like) or well-circumscribed (rounded) areas on mammograms. The stellate lesions generally have a poorer prognosis.
Medullary Carcinoma
Medullary carcinoma accounts for 15% of all breast cancer types. It mostly happens in women in their late 40s and 50s, presenting with cells that resemble the medulla (gray matter) of the brain.
Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma (ILC)
Infiltrating lobular carcinoma is a type of breast cancer that usually can be noticed as a subtle thickening in the upper-outer quadrant of the breast. This breast cancer type represents 5% of all diagnosis. Often positive for estrogen and progesterone receptors, these tumors respond well to hormone therapies.
Tubular Carcinoma
Well making up about 2% of all breast cancer diagnosis, tubular carcinoma cells have a distinctive tubular structure when it is viewed under a microscope. Typically this type of breast cancer is found in women aged 50 and above. It has an excellent 10-year survival rate of 95% and there are less changes.
Mucinous Carcinoma (Colloid)
Mucinous carcinoma represents approx. 1% to 2% of all breast carcinoma. and its main differentiating features are mucus production and cells that are poorly defined. It also has a favorable prognosis in most cases.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)
Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare,aggressive type of a breast cancer that causes the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast to become blocked. This type of breast cancer is called "inflammatory" because the breast often looks swollen and red, or "inflamed". IBC accounts for 1% to 5% of all breast cancer cases in the United States and other european countries also.
STAGES OF BREAST CANCER
All of the breast cancers that have been diagnosed must have other tests performed to determine if the cancer has spread. and moreover this process is known as breast cancer staging. Once the stage is known, an appropriate treatment plan can be developed. For helpful, detailed information on staging, watch Beyond the Shock.
5-YEAR SURVIVAL RATE BY STAGE
Stage 0 100%
Stage I 98%
Stage II 88%
Stage IIIA 56%
Stage IIIB 49%
Stage IV 16%
Stage 0—Carcinoma in situ
In stage zero breast cancer, atypical cells have not spread outside of the ducts or lobules, the milk producing organs, into the surrounding breast tissue. Referred to as carcinoma in situ, it is classified in two types:
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)— very early cancer that is highly treatable and survivable. If left untreated or undetected, it can spread into the surrounding breast tissue.
Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS)—not a cancer but an indicator that identifies a woman as having an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
Stage I—Early stage invasive breast cancer
In stage 1 breast cancer, the cancer is no larger than two centimeters (approximately an inch) and has not spread to surrounding lymph nodes or outside the breast.
Stage IStage II
Stage 2 breast cancer is divided into two categories according to the size of the tumor and whether or not it has spread to the lymph nodes:
Stage II A Breast Cancer
the tumor is less than two centimeters(approximately an inch) and has spread up to three auxiliary underarm lymph nodes. Or, the tumor has grown bigger than two centimeters, but no larger than five centimeters (approximately two inches) and has not spread to surrounding lymph nodes.
Stage II B Breast Cancer
the tumor has grown to between two and five centimeters (approximately one to two inches) and has spread to up to three auxiliary underarm lymph nodes. Or, the tumor is larger than five centimeters, but has not spread to the surrounding lymph nodes.
Stage III
Stage 3 breast cancer is also divided in to two categories:
Stage III A Breast Cancer
The tumor is larger than two centimeters but smaller than five centimeters (approximately one to two inches) and has spread to up to nine auxiliary underarm lymph nodes.
Stage III B Breast Cancer
The cancer has spread to tissues near the breast including the skin, chest wall, ribs, muscles, or lymph nodes in the chest wall or above the collarbone.
Stage IV
In stage 4 breast cancer, the cancer has spread to other organs or tissues, such as the liver, lungs, brain, skeletal system, or lymph nodes near the collarbone.
7.BREAST CANCER MYTHS
The Myth
Finding a lump in your breast means you have breast cancer.
The Truth
If you discover a persistent lump in your breast or any changes in breast tissue, it is very important that you see a physician immediately. However, 8 out of 10 breast lumps are benign, or not cancerous. Sometimes women stay away from medical care because they fear what they might find. Take charge of your health by performing routine breast self-exams, establishing ongoing communication with your doctor, and scheduling regular mammograms.
The Myth
Men do not get breast cancer.
The Truth
Quite the contrary. Each year it is estimated that approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die. While this percentage is still small, men should also give themselves regular breast self-exams and note any changes to their physicians.
The Myth
A mammogram can cause breast cancer to spread.
The Truth
A mammogram, or X-ray of the breast, is one of the best tools available for the early detection of breast cancer. It CANNOT cause cancer to spread, nor can the pressure put on the breast from the mammogram. Do not let tales of other people's experiences keep you from having a mammogram. Base your decision on your physician's recommendation and be sure to discuss any questions or concerns with your doctor.
The Myth
Having a family history of breast cancer means you will get it.
The Truth
While women who have a family history of breast cancer are in a higher risk group, most women who have breast cancer have no family history. If you have a mother, daughter, sister, or grandmother who had breast cancer, you should have a mammogram five years before the age of their diagnosis, or starting at age 35.
The Myth
Breast cancer is contagious.
The Truth
You cannot catch breast cancer or transfer it to someone else's body. Breast cancer is the result of uncontrolled cell growth in your own body.However, you can protect yourself by being aware of the risk factors and following an early detection plan.
The Myth
Knowing you have changes in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene can help you prevent breast cancer.
The Truth
While alterations in these genes in men and women can predispose an individual to an increased risk of breast cancer, only 5% to 10% of patients actually have this mutation. This is not an absolute correlation. Like your age or having a family history of breast cancer, it's a factor you just can't control. But you can let your physician know, perform regular breast self-exams, and focus on the fact your chances of not having this disease are greater than 90%.
9.How bras are linked to breast cancer
Many people say that bras causing breast cancer is just a myth. It is true that bras do not cause breast problem, but ill-fitting, too tight bras can help cancer growth since they can prevent your body from excreting dangerous cancer-causing chemicals. And, as bra industry and even Oprah note, 80%+ of women wear the wrong-size bra.
The main reason why tight bras are bad for breast health is because they restrict the lymph flow in your breasts. There are numerous lymph pathways and lymph nodes in the armpits, under the breasts, and in between the breasts. Normally the lymph fluid washes out waste materials and other toxins away from the breasts, but bras (and especially push-up bras) inhibit this action, so toxins can start to accumulate in the breast, and that can help cancer to develop. In other words, bras inhibit the way our bodies normally cleanse themselves and get rid of cancer cells and toxins like PCBs, DDT, dioxin, benzene and other carsinogenic chemicals that cling to the body's fatty tissues like breast. In fact, if you find a lump in your breast, it may very well be filled with lymph fluid that was not able to move away from the breast tissue.
Bra wearing may also be connected to cancer in other ways. Wearing bras slightly increases the temperature of the breast tissue, and women who wear bras have higher levels of the hormone prolactin. Both of these may influence breast cancer formation.
Singer and Grismaijer's research
The first comprehensive study on this subject was done by medical researcher Sydney Singer and his wife Soma Grismaijer, triggered by Soma's discovery of a lump in her breast while in the early stages of pregnancy. Terrified, the couple started researching the causes and risk factors of breast cancer, and found out that even diagnosing the lump (if it was cancer) carried a risk they didn't want to take.
Soma stopped wearing bras, started doing regular breast massage and exercise, drinking only purified water, and taking some herbs and supplements. In two months, her lump was gone.
They noticed that the Maoris of New Zealand integrated into white culture have the same rate of breast cancer, while the marginalized aboriginals of Australia have practically no breast cancer. The same was true for "Westernized" Japanese, Fijians and other bra-converted cultures.
Singer and Grismaijer then studied 4,500 women in five cities across the U.S. about their bra wearing habits and later published their findings in a book Dressed to Kill. Though the study did not take into account other lifestyle factors, the results are too striking to be denied:
3 out of 4 women who wore their bras 24 hours per day developed breast cancer.
1 out of 7 women who wore bras more than 12 hour per day but not to bed developed breast cancer.
1 out of 152 women who wore their bras less than 12 hours per day got breast cancer.
1 out of 168 women who wore bras rarely or never acquired breast cancer.
So the difference between 24 hour wearing and not at all fa was 125-fold!
Singer and Grismaijer sent their results to the heads of the most prestigious cancer organizations and institutes of America. None responded.
The lymphatic system in the breast only develops fully during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so women who wear bras everyday and postpone having children, and those who do not breastfeed, could be at higher risk of breast cancer.
It is well known that the established risk factors for breast cancer only explain maybe 25% of the cancer cases. In other words, about 75% of the women who get breast cancer do not have any of the typically mentioned risk factors such as earlier history of breast cancer, smoking, or early menarche.
10.Breast Care
Taking care of your breasts
Breasts are wonderful things - soft, warm, able to provide nourishment for babies and pleasure for you.
Breast Anatomy
Breasts are essentially modified sweat glands that produce milk. Simply put, breasts are made up of:
fat (or more technically adipose tissue),
milk producing lobes (including the milk storage and secretion systems)
and ligaments to hold them up.
On the outside there are nipples and areoli.
Breast size is determined by the amount of adipose tissue or fat in the breasts and has no bearing on the milk producing capacities of the breast.
Breast tissue extends to the armpit. The lymph nodes in the armpit drain the breast tissue. Everyday movement of the body causes the breasts to move around which aids the movement of fluids out of the breast and into the lymph nodes.
Breasts are glandular organs that are very sensitive to any hormonal fluctuations in the body which explains the changes they go through during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, childbirth and lactation. In turn being glands they can secrete hormones themselves which influence other parts of the body. The breasts are intimately connected with the female genitals and repoductive system and vice versa.
Breasts change through the menstrual cycle. Most if not all women can notice the changes that their breatst can go through each cycle. The way your breats look, their size, the way they respond to touch, soreness or tenderness all fluctuate.
Breast Care
Not much is taught about breast care - unless there is disease / disomfort or you are speaking of self examination or you are having trouble breastfeeding then most of us probably don't really give our breasts alot of attention.
This was certainly true in my own case. But over the last 12 months I had noticed that my breasts were starting to feel heavy and sore most days through my cycle, and definitely worse in the post ovulation phase. I am not big breasted but I found my breasts were getting so tender I was having to sleep with a bra on. This was a reasonably big deal for me as I generally avoid wearing bras whenever possible. My breasts were uncomfortabe to touch and generally no fun anymore.Recently I started an exercise program which included some exercises for the breasts. What I noticed after doing these simple exercises for a few weeks was that my breast tenderness just about disppeared (in fact they are only a little tender pre-menstrually now) and my breasts decreased in size (lost a certain pendulous look) and were more perky and youthful. What I think has happened is that the exercises stimulated the breast tissue and helped them to drain excess fluids out via the lymph nodes in the armpit. It wasn't an outcome I had aimed for but there it was.
I think any massage to the breast should be done very gently. Tthe exercises are incredibly simple and gentle and include:
Rub hands together to warm them. Place one hand over each breast with nipple resting between thumb and forfinger. Rotate breasts gently upward, outward and then inward. Do this about 24 times.
Warm hands, using four fingers gently rub the whole of the breast in a circular movement around the breast.
Warm hands, using four fingers gently rub the nipple and areola ia circular movement.
Diet is always an important factor of good health. If you suffer from very sore or tender breasts, expecially pre-menstrually you may need to address some dietary issues.
Breast Self Examination is important as most women know - one thing about doing the self massage regularly is if you are more likely to remember to do your self exam.
What kind of bra you wear, how often you wear a bra and if you wear a bra at all could also contribute to your breast health. According to the book "Dressed to kill, the Link between Breast Cancer and Bras" by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, there is a real link between bras and breast cancer. I haven't had the chance to read the book yet but one of their studies of 4700 women showed that the women who wore their bras 24 hours a day had the highest incidence of breast cancer and those that didn't wear bras had the lowest incidence of cancer. This is only a small study and more research needs to be done but it is food for thought. It is easy to imagine that wearing a tight bra that restricts the natural movement of the breast and therefore the drainage of toxins out of the breast probably isn't the best way to care for your breasts.
When choosing a bra - try to choose a bra for breast health not fashion. Choose a cotton, comfortable bra, avoid wearing sports bras and push up bras or underwire bras for long lengths of time.
