Statistics already published for 2010 show that more than one and a half million women worldwide were diagnosed as having some form of cancer. Out of this number, twenty five percent have been shown to have breast cancer - a really scary and horrendous one in four women.
The remaining seventy five percent represent all the other forms of cancer, of which there are many. Some of them are well known, such as skin cancer and lung cancer, while there are also some very obscure forms of this often fatal disease. Some have high cure success rates, while others do not respond well to the various treatments available.
It is therefore of the utmost importance that we women take great care of our bodies because, as we all know, we are the backbones of our families. We are wives, mothers, friends, cooks, cleaners and more, all rolled up into one strong human being who take the best possible care of our husbands and children. Even if we do not feel 100% well, we get up and do what has to be done; and it is for this reason that we need to get to know our bodies - so that we will know at the very outset if something is not quite right. Call it women's intuition.
The 2 tests that women can do at home to check for breast cancer are:
Test #1 is the easiest test - and one which has been proven to be highly successful - is that of self examination of one's breasts. You should do this once a month while lying on your back of a firm surface, such as a bed. Starting at your nipples and working in ever increasing circles, palpate or press your fingers into the breast tissue, almost as if you are playing the piano. Do this in the middle of your menstrual cycle, between your periods, so that any lumpy tissue associated with your period will not give you any cause for concern. By making a habit of doing this self examination every month, you will get to know your own body and all its lumps, bumps and idiosyncrasies. Should you ever feel something unusual that was not there last month, or if you think that a certain bump has grown larger, you should make an appointment with your doctor at soon as possible.
Test #2 is to check your nipples and is just as easy as test number one. Check to see if there is any discharge which may ooze (permanently or sporadically) from your nipples. Another test which is an indicator of breast cancer is if the nipple begins to turn in and is 'absorbed' by the breast instead of standing out proudly.
Remember, breast cancer is curable if detected in its early stages and mortality rates are increasing year on year. You stand every chance of surviving this awful disease and being there for your family for many years to come - but only if you take immediate action.
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