It is surprising but true that in every three minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, which is the second most common form of cancer amongst women. As per the World Health Organization, more than 1.2 million new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the world in the year 2004.
Like in all parts of body, the cells in the breasts also grow and then rest in cycles which are controlled by genes in the cell's nucleus. When the genes are in good working order, they keep cell growth under control but if the genes develop an abnormality and lose their ability to control the cycle of cell growth and rest, cause cancer. So breast cancer is nothing but uncontrolled growth of breast cells.
Who's at risk?
The exact causes of breast cancer are still not known but studies show that the risk of breast cancer increases as a woman gets older. But there are certain conditions which increase a woman's chance of getting breast cancer. The most important is personal history of breast cancer. Women who have had breast cancer face an increased risk of getting this cancer on the other breast.
Like in all parts of body, the cells in the breasts also grow and then rest in cycles which are controlled by genes in the cell's nucleus. When the genes are in good working order, they keep cell growth under control but if the genes develop an abnormality and lose their ability to control the cycle of cell growth and rest, cause cancer. So breast cancer is nothing but uncontrolled growth of breast cells.
Who's at risk?
The exact causes of breast cancer are still not known but studies show that the risk of breast cancer increases as a woman gets older. But there are certain conditions which increase a woman's chance of getting breast cancer. The most important is personal history of breast cancer. Women who have had breast cancer face an increased risk of getting this cancer on the other breast.
Alcohol: Some studies suggest a slightly higher risk of breast cancer among women who drink alcohol.
Most women who develop breast cancer have none of the risk factors listed above, other than the risk that comes with growing older. Scientists are conducting research into the causes of breast cancer to learn more about risk factors and ways of preventing this disease.
In India, various NGOs are working for fighting cancer and one among them is Krishna Breast Cancer Care Charitable Trust (KBCCT). From organising free cancer detection camp to counseling patients and providing them with adequate treatment, KBCCT has been doing it all from past two years. Till date, they have organised 11 camps in various places and treated 25 patients.
KBCCT was formed by Sanjeev Arora, managing director of Ritesh Properties & Industries Ltd., in the memory of his mother late Krishna Arora who left this world due to this deadly disease. KBCCT is one trust, that's working towards eradicating this disease right from its roots. Like them there is a need that we all should come forward and give our helping hand in order to spread awareness and work towards this noble cause.
Symptoms detection
Generally, early breast cancer usually does not cause pain. In fact, when breast cancer first develops, there may be no symptoms of breast cancer at all. But as the cancer grows, it can cause changes that women should watch for:
>> A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
>> A change in the size or shape of the breast
>> Nipple discharge or tenderness, or the nipple pulled back (inverted) into the breast
>> Ridges or pitting of the breast (the skin looks like the skin of an orange)
>> A change in the way the skin of the breast, areola, or nipple looks or feels (for example, warm, swollen, red, or scaly)
A woman should see her doctor about any symptoms like these. Most often, they are not cancer, but it's important to check with the doctor so that any problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Diagnosing breast cancer
Most women who develop breast cancer have none of the risk factors listed above, other than the risk that comes with growing older. Scientists are conducting research into the causes of breast cancer to learn more about risk factors and ways of preventing this disease.
In India, various NGOs are working for fighting cancer and one among them is Krishna Breast Cancer Care Charitable Trust (KBCCT). From organising free cancer detection camp to counseling patients and providing them with adequate treatment, KBCCT has been doing it all from past two years. Till date, they have organised 11 camps in various places and treated 25 patients.
KBCCT was formed by Sanjeev Arora, managing director of Ritesh Properties & Industries Ltd., in the memory of his mother late Krishna Arora who left this world due to this deadly disease. KBCCT is one trust, that's working towards eradicating this disease right from its roots. Like them there is a need that we all should come forward and give our helping hand in order to spread awareness and work towards this noble cause.
Symptoms detection
Generally, early breast cancer usually does not cause pain. In fact, when breast cancer first develops, there may be no symptoms of breast cancer at all. But as the cancer grows, it can cause changes that women should watch for:
>> A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
>> A change in the size or shape of the breast
>> Nipple discharge or tenderness, or the nipple pulled back (inverted) into the breast
>> Ridges or pitting of the breast (the skin looks like the skin of an orange)
>> A change in the way the skin of the breast, areola, or nipple looks or feels (for example, warm, swollen, red, or scaly)
A woman should see her doctor about any symptoms like these. Most often, they are not cancer, but it's important to check with the doctor so that any problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Diagnosing breast cancer
Ultrasonography: Using high-frequency sound waves, ultrasonography can often show whether a lump is a fluid-filled cyst (not cancer) or a solid mass (which may or may not be cancer).This exam may be used along with mammography.
Treatment options
Surgery: Surgery is usually the first line of attack against breast cancer. There are two types of surgeries involved in breast cancer i.e. Mastectomy which is the removal of all the breast tissues and Lumpectomy also known as breast conserving surgery is the removal of only the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissues.
The side effects of chemotherapy come about because cancer cells aren't the only rapidly dividing cells in your body. The cells in your blood, mouth, intestinal tract, nose, nails, vagina, and hair are also undergoing constant, rapid division. This means that the chemotherapy is going to affect them, too.
Radiation therapy: It is also called radiotherapy — is a highly targeted, highly effective way to destroy cancer cells in the breast that may stick around after surgery.Radiation can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 50% to 66%. Despite what many people fear,radiation therapy is relatively easy to tolerate and its side effects are limited to the treated area.
No comments:
Post a Comment