Be aware! Get educated! Fight breast cancer

This month is breast cancer awareness month, an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, ma

This month is breast cancer awareness month, an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same. As is well known, breast cancer is the number one cancer killer of Nigerian women. Late presentation of patients at advanced stages when little or no benefit can be derived from any form of therapy is the hallmark of breast cancer in Nigerian women. This is indeed a worrisome trend. It is our hope that this article will help increase the awareness of the deadly disease and also encourage someone to do that which is necessary to stay alive.

What is breast cancer?
It is a malignant cancerous growth that begins in the tissues of the breast. Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way. It is the most common cancer in women, but can also appear in men although not very common. And it kills more people annually than malaria, HIV/AIDS or any other known disease.

Causes of breast cancer
There are many risk factors that have been associated with breast cancer:

Being a female is one of the factors one can’t really do much about. The chances of getting it increases with age; the older you get, the more chances of getting it.
As with any other genetic disease, a history of breast cancer in close relatives especially in mothers and siblings has been associated with the risks of getting breast cancer.
Early onset of menstrual periods before the age of 12 years or reaching menopause after the age of 55 years has both been associated with risks of developing breast cancer.
Being overweight
Using hormone replacement therapy
Taking birth control pills
Alcohol
Not having children or having your first child after age 35
Having dense breasts.

Signs and symptoms of breast cancer
Do not ignore changes noticed around the breasts. Early detection and prompt treatment is the key to surviving this deadly disease. Some common signs to watch out for are:

A lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast
Discharge from either of your nipples which may be streaked with blood
A lump or swelling in either of your armpits
Change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
Dimpling on the skin of your breasts
A rash on or around your nipple
A change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast
Pain in either of your breasts or armpits that is not related to your period
Breast screening methods
There are certain breast routine tests that should be carried out once a woman attains the age of 20 years and above. These tests should be recommended by your physician. Such routine tests include:
Breast self examination
Mammogram
Utra Sound Scan
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
If you are between ages 20 and 39: Get a clinical breast exam every three years.
If you are over 40 or older: Get a mammogram and clinical breast exam every year.

Diagnosis and treatment
Surgery, radiation treatment and many new and advanced therapies are now available in the developed world. Many more patients are living longer, but the reverse is the case in our country. Access to care is limited and majority of these advanced therapies are nowhere to be found.

How to reduce your risk
Lifestyle changes have been shown in studies to decrease breast cancer risk even in high-risk women.

Limit alcohol intake. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.
Don’t smoke.
Control your weight
Be physically active. Exercise is as close to a silver bullet for good health as there is, and women who are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer. Regular exercise is also one of the best ways to help keep weight in check.
Breast-feed. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect.
Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy.
Avoid exposure to radiation and environmental pollution such as computerized tomography, high doses of radiation, exposure to the chemicals found in some workplaces, gasoline fumes and vehicle exhaust.
A low-fat diet appears to offer only a slight reduction in the risk of breast cancer. A healthy diet can help maintain a healthy weight, a key factor in breast cancer prevention.
Avoid birth control pills, particularly after age 35
Avoid post-menopausal hormones
Find out your family history. You may be at high risk of breast cancer if you have a mother or sister who developed breast or ovarian cancer or male family members who developed breast or prostate cancer. A doctor or genetic counselor can help you understand your family history of the disease.