Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Protect Yourself by Knowing the Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer occurs in humans as well as other mammals. The early symptoms of breast cancer should be known to all women by the age of twenty. This is because the earlier the disease is detected the greater the survival rate. Monthly self-examination is very important. These examinations should begin at the age of twenty. Women at the age of forty and older should have annual screening mammograms.

Background Information: Breast cancer is a tumor which originates in the breast tissue which has the potential to spread through the entire body. There are genes in the body which control healthy cell growth. When they mutate into abnormal cell growth the abnormality spreads through the breast tissue and accumulates into a malignant tumor. There are two types of breast cancer: Non-invasive which grows inside the milk ducts and invasive cancer which also begins in the milk ducts but grows into the nearby breast tissue as well. Invasive breast cancer has the potential to extend through the entire body. There are five stages of breast cancer. Scientists believe that breast cancer is caused by a mixture of genetics and environment. Caucasian and older women are believed to be at a higher risk.
www.breastcancer.org provides the following statistics:

” “One in eight United States women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
” A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.
” For women in the United States, breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
” A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 15% of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.”

Know the Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer
In the initial stages, breast cancer generally has no symptoms. One of the first signs is a lump in the breast or underarm noticed after the end of the menstrual cycle. The lump persists and feels different from the area around it. If you notice any of the following, go to your doctor.
Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer:

” Area that is distinctly different from anywhere else on the breast(s)
” Armpit swelling
” Breast enlargement
” Breast pain
” Change in the contour, size or texture of the breast
” Change in the nipple (burning, dimpling, indentation, itching, scaling, retraction, ulceration)
” Discharge from the nipple (bloody, clear or another unusual color)
” Cysts
” Flattening or indentation in the breast
” Enlargement of lymph nodes
” Lump in breast or underarm
” Marble-like area under the skin
” Redness of the skin over the breast
” Thickening of breast tissue

There are different treatment choices such as chemotherapy, hormones, radiation, surgery, as well as alternative medical treatments. If alternative medical treatments are used, check with your doctor to prevent any potential drug interaction. The growth, size, and stage of the tumor must be taken into account for each patient when determining the treatment.

Traditional Treatments:
” Chemotherapy – Drugs
” Hormones – Estrogen & progesterone
” Radiation – Energy X-rays
” Surgery – Lumpectomy (removes the tumor and surrounding tissue) & mastectomy (removal of the entire breast)
Alternative Treatments:
” Colon cleansing
” Diet therapy
” Encouraging/optimistic imagery
” Meditation
” Mistletoe injections
” Relaxation
” Vitamins & minerals