Know the Facts About Breast Cancer

There is no cancer that is more studied or raises more money than breast cancer. The funding into research of breast cancer comes from an obvious reason. Many women die from breast cancer every year. This common and fatal form of cancer is one that we as a society need to find a cure for.

However, medical science isn’t there yet. For now, women need to be screened and keep their eyes out for breast cancer. Anytime cancer is detected early, the chances for successful treatment are much higher. One of the best ways to deal with breast cancer is to be knowledgeable about it. Read on for more information.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

It’s important for women to perform a self test on themselves regularly. In addition, regular mammograms provide the best way to know if breast cancer has developed. These screening tests can find cancer before symptoms show. However, it’s good for people to know the symptoms as well. These can assist people in doing their own determinations of cancer. Here are the symptoms to look for:

• Breast Swelling - This can be localized or across the entire breast. This is also a sign when the breast doesn’t have a “lump”.
• Pain - This pain can occur in the breast itself, or is commonly specifically located in the nipple.
• Nipple Retraction - Many women will find their nipples can invert and turn inward. This is fairly unexpected later in life and a potential sign of breast cancer.
• Skin Irritation - This can manifest in multiple different forms. Skin can scale or turn red. It can also dimple like the peel of a citrus fruit. Skin could also thicken quite a bit.
• Unexpected discharge - If the breast is discharging any liquid aside from breast milk, then it’s a strong sign of breast cancer.

Treatments of Breast Cancer

There are a lot of different severities of breast cancer. Accordingly there are several different treatments for breast cancer. Every year it seems like the treatments are becoming much better. Here are the most common treatments:

• Surgical Options - Many forms of breast cancer will be treated through surgery. This can include either removing the tumor alone, or the full breast if necessary.
• Radiation - Radiation therapy is one of the most common ways to treat many forms of cancer. In this case, radiation waves are used in an attempt to remove the cancerous cells. The side effects can be difficult and sometimes damage healthy cells alongside them.
• Chemotherapy - These are a collection of powerful medications that will have many side effects. Severe nausea and hair loss is very common and noticeable.
• Hormone Therapy - Female hormones can cause the spread and growth of breast cancer. Hormone therapy is targeted and can reduce the effects of the cancerous growth.

Important Facts To Know About Breast Cancer

There is a lot of information out there about breast cancer. A brief article is not enough time to get all of the facts. That being said, here are some of the facts about breast cancer:

• Approximately 1% of cases of breast cancer are found in men.
• Breast Cancer is one of the top three most common cancers. Approximately 190,000 cases are identified every year.
• Most risk factors for breast cancer are unavoidable and are genetic. Despite this, there is no obvious cause that can be pointed to for developing breast cancer.
• Only skin cancer results in more fatalities than breast cancer in women.
• Survival rates for breast cancer are some of the very best of any types of cancer.