October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States. Black women die at a higher rate than White women.
Sadly, many women are distracted with their multiple roles on a daily basis, that they do not make the time to prioritize their physical health. Ladies, let's make a pact to educate ourselves on breast health issues. Together, we can save the lives of our sisters, daughters, and mothers.
We'll focus on the types of breast cancer, signs and symptoms of breast cancer, when to get screening, risk factors, and how to perform a breast self-exam.
Breast cancer is when cells in the breast tissue are out of control.
What are the types of breast cancer?
Breast cancer has two categories: invasive vs. non-invasive types.
Invasive breast cancer means the breast cancer cells spread from the normal breast tissue to the bloodstream and lymph nodes. The two most common types are invasive ductal carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma.
Invasive ductal carcinoma
Invasive lobular carcinoma
Inflammatory breast cancer
Paget's disease of the breast
Angiosarcoma of the breast
Phyllodes tumors
Non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer means that the breast cancer cells remain in the breast tissue without spreading beyond the milk ducts or lobules. The two types of in situ cancers are ductal carcinoma and lobular carcinoma.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
What are signs and symptoms of breast cancer?
New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit).
Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area.
Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
Pain in any area of the breast.
It's important to understand that both men and women can develop breast cancer; there may be no symptoms in some cases. Notify your doctor immediately if you notice any of these signs and symptoms.
When should I get screened for breast cancer?
According to Johns Hopkins, women with a family history of breast cancer but no known gene mutation should be screened five years before the earliest age at diagnosis in the family. For example, if your Mom was diagnosed at 35, you should begin screening at age 30.
American Cancer Society recommends a woman get screened for breast cancer with a mammogram by age 45. She should choose to have an annual mammogram screening by age 40. Click on the link to watch a 5-minute video of Breast cancer screening guidelines.
What are the risk factors?
Risk factors of breast cancer that you can not change are:
Getting older
Gene mutations
Having dense breast
Personal history of breast cancer
Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
Previous treatment of radiation therapy
Exposure to DES
Risk factors that you can change:
Physical Inactivity
Being overweight or obese after menopause
Taking hormones
Reproductive history
Drinking alcohol
Environmental factors can also contribute to the cause of breast cancer.
Receiving coaching support to address risk factors can be a helpful way to decrease the likelihood of developing breast cancer. Understandably, this can be a concerning topic, but it's essential to take proactive steps towards prevention.
How to perform a breast self-exam?
For women still menstruating, a breast self-exam should be performed a few days after her period ends. For post-menopausal women, a breast self-exam should be performed on the same day of each month, such as the 1st or 15th day of the month.
With the pads/flats of your three middle fingers, check the entire breast and armpit area, pressing down with light, medium, and firm pressure. Check both breasts each month, feeling for any new lumps, thickenings, hardened knots, or any other breast changes.
With your arms at your sides, visually inspect your breasts, looking for any changes in the contour or shape of the breasts, any dimpling, swelling, or other skin irregularities on or around the breasts, or any changes in the nipples.
Next, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Look for any dimpling, puckering, or other changes, particularly on one side. Note that the left and right breasts will not exactly match—few women's breasts are perfectly symmetrical.
When lying down, the breast tissue spreads out evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and put your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your three middle fingers around your right breast, covering the entire breast area and armpit.
Use light, medium, and firm pressure to feel for any new lumps, thickenings, hardened knots, or any other breast changes. Also, squeeze the nipple to check for discharge. Repeat these steps for your left breast.
I want to ensure you get familiar with your breast, pay attention to new signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and notify your doctor immediately if you notice abnormalities. Lastly, if you feel your doctor dismisses your breast health concerns, be your best advocate and seek a second opinion.
I dedicate this post to my sister Shantel, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2020.
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