The figures concerning breast cancer are alarming. One woman in
every nine will get breast cancer at some point in her life.
There are more than 212,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in
the USA each year. In Canada the figure is about 20,500,
Australia 13,000 and in UK the figure is over 41,000. It doesn't
matter if you are a mature women or a young girl in your teens.
It is important for all females to know the symptoms of this
dreaded disease.
Who is at risk?
Breast cancer is overwhelmingly a female disease, but rarely a
few men are also affected. It becomes more common in women as
age increases. Over 80% of the cases occur in women over the age
of 50. Other risk factors include:
-taking an oral contraceptive pill -having hormone replacement
therapy -obesity and/or high fat diets -one or more relatives
who have had breast cancer -alcohol use
Early detection is very important
Currently, six out of every seven patients diagnosed with
breast cancer are cured at an early stage. However, if they are
diagnosed when the cancer has become advanced, the cure rate
falls to about one in seven. It is extremely important to catch
breast cancer at an early stage. Knowing the symptoms is
crucial. Common symptoms of breast cancer
Usually, early breast cancer does not cause pain. As a matter of
fact, when breast cancer first develops, there may be no
symptoms at all. As the cancer grows and spreads, it can cause
changes that women should watch for.
Here are few symptoms one should be aware of:
-Itching in the armpit or around the breast region. -Pink, red,
or dark colored area (called erythematic) with texture similar
to the skin of an orange (called peau d'orange). -Ridges and
thickened areas of the skin of nipple or breast. -Appearance of
a bruise that does not go away. -Nipple getting inverted.
-Breast is warm to the touch. -Pain in the breast (from a
constant ache to stabbing pains). -Change in texture as well as
color of the aureole. -Change in the shape or size of a breast.
-Dimpling of the breast skin. -Swelling or a lump in the armpit.
-A discharge from the nipple.
On noticing any of these changes, a woman should see her
doctor. However, there is no need to panic. Most often, it is
not cancer. Many conditions can cause symptoms listed above.
Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.
About the author:
Dennis Hardy is a senior writer for the
Health-Articles-Online.com website. For more articles from this
author, please visit
http://www.Health-Articles-Online.com