Breast cancer awareness in NIgeria

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is often not talked about as much as it should be globally considering that breast cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women.

It is estimated that 42,260 people ( 41,760 women and 500 men) die each year from breast cancer.

On an average of one in eight women over a period of 80 years have a chance of developing breast cancer. Creating the necessary awareness for both women and men on the symptoms, causes, and stages of breast cancer should be a priority in other to save lives.

If the necessary information on breast cancer is available to every woman, then early detection can help prevent the spread of cancerous cells to other parts of the body.

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer in simple terms means the cells in the breast region are growing out of control. After in which it starts to spread to other parts of the body through the blood vessels and lymph vessels.

Breast cancer can develop in different parts of the breast. The breast made up three main parts: lobules, ducts and connective tissues. Often most breast cancers start to develop in the ducts or lobules.

Different types of breast cancer

We will be discussing the most common type of breast cancer :

1. Invasive ductal carcinoma: The cancer cells grow outside the ducts and spread to other parts of the breast. When not treated early it spreads to other parts of the body.
2. Invasive lobular carcinoma: The cancer cells develops in the lobules and spread to other breast tissues. When not treated early it can equally spread to other parts of the body.

Symptoms of breast cancer

Different people have different symptoms of breast cancer and some people don't even show any symptoms at all. Here is the list of common symptoms of breast cancer.

1. Lump in the breast.
2. Swelling in the breast.
3. Discharge other than break milk from the breast.
4. Irritation of the breast skin.
5. Pain in any part of the breast region.
6. Change in shape of the breast.

NOTE: These symptoms can appear in other conditions that are not breast cancer.

If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, please consider visiting the doctor as soon as possible.

Early Detection Method

Self-examination can help with early detection of breast cancer. Regularly checking your own breast can help detect breast cancer giving chance to a more successful treatment.

It's important to note that no single test guarantees the detection of breast cancer. Regular self-examination and screening are often the best practices to detect breast cancer early.

Here are the steps for self physical examination

1. Start by looking at your breast on the mirror with your arms on your hips. You would be looking for the following: swelling or distortion, redness or soreness on the breast.
2. Raise your arms and look for similar changes.
3. While you are still in the mirror, look for any fluid discharge from either nipple.
4. Lay down, use your right hand to feel your left breast. Use a circular and gentle motion, repeat using your left hand to feel your right breast in the same motion and gentle. Follow a pattern to ensure you examine your entire breast carefully.

Read now: How to add weight for females the healthy way

Frequently asked questions about breast cancer

What to do when I find a lump in my breast?

Many conditions can result in a lump in the breast. Don't panic if you find a lump in your breast. Often some women have some lumps in their breast region all the time.

There are a number of causes of breast lumps including hormonal changes. It's best advised to visit a doctor to get scanned and tested to be sure.

Who is at risk of getting breast cancer?

All women are at risk of having breast cancer men included but in rare cases. The risk factor varies according to age, history, genetics, not having kids, early menstruation, having kids after 30, and high-fat diets. Most women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors.

Is breast cancer a genetic disease?

Genetics is one of the risk factors associated with breast cancer. Women with genetic gene mutations have higher chances of having breast cancer.

Does breastfeeding play a role in breast cancer?

There hasn't been any evidence linking breastfeeding to breast cancer. Recent studies by scientists show that breastfeeding reduces the chances of having breast cancer.

Is there any connection between breast size and breast cancer?

There isn't any evidence suggesting that breast size is connected with breast cancer, although it reduces the chances of detecting breast cancer due to the dense breast tissue.

How can I reduce my chances of having breast cancer?

There are many factors that play a role in breast cancer that can't be controlled such as early menstruation, genetics, and family history.

Other factors such as weight, childbearing, and diets can be controlled to help reduce the chances of having breast cancer.

Women who maintain their diets with fruits and vegetables. Maintaining low polyunsaturated fats (such as corn oil, margarine) and unsaturated fats found in meats lowers the risk of breast cancers.

Conclusion

Due to the high rate of breast cancer in women, it would be a priority for every woman to have a self-examination at least once a day to lower the risk of developing breast cancer unknowingly.

If you discover any of the symptoms mentioned above, please visit a hospital as soon as possible to get examined.