Common Signs of Breast Cancer

The lack of knowledge makes cancer treatments difficult because the disease goes undetected till it reaches an advanced stage. If breast cancer treatments are done at early stages of the cancer, the chances of complete cure are much higher. Here are some of the signs that one must be aware of:

Lumps - Breast cancer doctors say that even though lumps are the most common and known signs of breast cancer, women often fail to recognize them. A lump is a kind of thickening one may feel near the breast or even in the armpit. They are very small, pea-sized and are generally painless. But one may feel some tenderness or irritation. Such lumps can be easily spotted through a mammogram.
Change in breast size- Changes in breast size is another symptom of cancer. Whether the breast size will increase or decrease will vary from women to women. Some women experience an increase in their breast size and some others find their breast size decreasing. This change is usually not noticeable until the size has changed a lot.
Change in color and texture- Breast cancer may also cause a change in color and texture of the breast. One may notice a marble-like area under the skin. Some areas of the breast may even differ greatly from other areas of the breast. The skin of the breast may also turn pink or red in color. In case of scarring, the skin may also even turn orange. Some tumors can't be seen or felt. In such cases, indentation or flattening of breast is a sure symptom.
Changes in nipple- One of the earliest signs of breast cancer is that one may notice some changes in their nipples. The nipple may get pushed inward and there may be a dimpled look. There may also be irritation and slight pain along with redness of the nipple. Paget's disease, a localized can be recognized by symptoms like itching, scaling of the nipple and ulceration. Discharge of clear fluid or blood is also a common sign of breast cancer.

Cancer doctors say the reasons for this disease are many and varied. Lifestyle and environmental factors are two main factors that play a huge role. Heavy intake of alcohol and red meat, dense breasts and obesity combined with pollution, and food contamination increases the risk of cancer. Apart from these, family history is also important.

It is important that women check themselves for any of the above mentioned signs periodically. If any of the symptoms are observed, a trip to a cancer specialist is mandatory.

Through his articles, youngrin wishes to inform and educate the readers about breast cancer treatments which will benefit those who are looking for useful information, For treatment log on to breast cancer treatments

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The 6 Most Common Diagnostic Techniques For Breast Cancer in America

The United States has the highest rate of breast cancer in the world. Breast cancer in America is even indicated as the second most common cancer, after skin cancer. Since 1990, death rates have decreased by almost 30%. Nevertheless, it still causes a lot of death, not just in America, but also worldwide. In 2007, it was expected to cause 40,910 deaths in the US alone, which accounts for almost 2% of all death cases.

There are several risk factors for breast cancer in America which would be different from one area to another. Most of the cases in America are caused by the following factors: older age, menstruating at an early age, older age at first birth or have never given birth, a personal history of breast related diseases (both benign and malignant), radiation therapy on the chest/breast, estrogen or progesterone replacement therapy, or consumption of alcoholic beverages.

However, breast cancer in America seems to have a better prognosis and treatment system nowadays. Before treating the cancer patients, doctors should perform several tests or examinations on the patients, such as:

1. Physical exam and history: Physical examination is done to the whole body to check the general signs of health. A history of the patient's past illnesses and habits could be a reference for the doctor about how to treat the cancer if the patient is indeed suffering from the disease.

2. Mammography: This diagnostic technique utilizes low-energy X-rays to check for any abnormal masses in the breast.

3. Ultrasonography: After a mammogram, it is possible for your doctor to perform ultrasonography as well. This is a diagnostic imaging technique that uses ultrasound (sound waves with the frequency greater than 20,000 Hz).

4. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): Like ultrasonography, MRI is also a complementary diagnostic technique. With this method, your doctor can determine which stage your cancer is at right now. Compared to X-ray, it works better at imaging augmented breasts.

5. Blood chemistry studies: A sample of your blood will be taken and tested for any anomalies. When someone has breast cancer, the breast tissue will release certain substances into the bloodstream at unusual amounts (either lower or higher than normal).

6. Biopsy: This is a test that involves the removal of a small part of the breast tissue for examination. The tissue sample is then observed under a microscope to check for any signs of cancer. There are four types of biopsies: excisional biopsy, incisional biopsy, core biopsy, and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy.

The diagnostic techniques mentioned above are the most common screening methods for detecting breast cancer in America. For more information about this disease, please visit our website.

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Symptoms of Breast Cancer - Can You Recognise the 6 Most Common Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

Symptoms of breast cancer are by and large, pretty non-specific. The vagueness of these symptoms makes it very difficult to decide, if you do find a problem in your breast, whether or not you do actually have a serious problem.

The six most common symptoms of breast cancer, which are all explained below, are:
A lump in the breastBleeding from the nippleDimpling or tethering of the skin of the breastRetraction of the nippleAlteration of the shape of the breastA rash on the nipple

The most common of these symptoms is a lump in the breast - and this is why this particular symptom is in the top position. But of course every lump in the breast is not malignant - far from it in reality - making a lump probably the most unhelpful and non-specific of all of the symptoms of breast cancer. Only about 10% of lumps in the breast actually turn out to be malignant.

There are only 3 commonly found lumps and so if you get a breast lump it is almost certainly going to be one of these: a Fibroadenoma, a cyst and of course a cancer in the breast.

The Triple Assessment is the routine your surgeon uses, in order to decide which one of these 3 lumps you actually have. The Triple Assessment has 3 parts as the name implies:
An examination by the doctorImaging - (mammography and breast ultrasound)A breast biopsy

The second of the symptoms of breast cancer is bleeding from the nipple. Bleeding from the nipple may be due to pre-invasive cancerous cells in the ducts or 'pipes' of the breast but actually this is one of the rarer symptoms and statistically only about 8% or less of women with bleeding from the nipple will actually have a breast cancer.

The next of the symptoms of breast cancer is dimpling or tethering of the skin. Of the 6 symptoms, this is actually one of the most accurate. If you are over 50 years of age and you notice that the skin is attached to a lump - you can pinch the skin over the lump and you will see that it does not move easily over it, or it dimples - then this is a worrying sign. Another way of showing that this IS one of the symptoms of a cancer in the breast, is to raise your arms above your head in front of a mirror and then slowly lower them. If you see that the skin gets caught, or tethered over or near the lump as you move your arms - remember to do this slowly - then this is one of the symptoms of a breast cancer.

The next symptom is retraction of the nipple. Simple nipple INVERSION is very common - this is where the nipple, instead of sticking outwards is folded inwards. You can tell that this is NOT one of the symptoms of breast cancer as benign (non-cancerous) nipple inversion is 'slit-like' in appearance. Nipple retraction, one of the more likely symptoms of breast cancer, is where the nipple and surrounding skin (the areola) is pulled backwards by the cancer. This is NOT slit-like in appearance.

The next of the symptoms is alteration of the shape of the breast. This again is fairly non-specific as many benign or non-cancerous lumps can also deform the shape of the breast. But if you see a COMBINATION of tethering, dimpling or nipple retraction with an alteration in the shape of the breast then you should be highly suspicious that you do indeed have a cancer in the breast.

The last of the six most common symptoms of a breast cancer is a rash on the nipple. This is a condition called Paget's Disease. Paget's Disease (named after Sir James Paget) is an ulcerating and destructive or erosive condition of the NIPPLE, although it may also extend onto the aureola - the darker skin around the nipple. Paget's Disease of the Nipple is due to the presence of an underlying cancer in the breast and the diagnosis is confirmed by a biopsy of the ulcerated area. Paget's is one of the most clear-cut symptoms of breast cancer.

Paget's should not be confused with a scaly rash of the aureola where the nipple is normal - or 'spared'. A scaly rash on the areola ONLY, with a normal nipple is usually eczema (dermatitis), a condition mostly treated by simple steroid creams.

And if you ARE suspicious that you have breast cancer you should consult your doctor but you can firstly click on this link to get free access to a complete series of high quality videos about breast cancer, its treatment as well as further information on the symptoms of breast cancer at http://www.breastcancerworldnews.com/

Dr. Richard Reyes is a breast cancer surgeon and writes for Breast Cancer World News

Original article