Well, it’s Pinktober and you must’ve seen or heard advertisements about Breast Cancer. Everyone is talking about breast cancer and that is because this month has been chosen to draw attention to a disease that has been causing harm to a lot of women for years now. This campaign started in the United States, in October 1985, and it has since been taking place annually.

Cells & Cancer

Before we take a look at breast cancer, let's take time to understand what cancer is. Each individual is made up of microscopic elements called cells, which are responsible for the activities we perform constantly (respiration, nutrition, thinking, and basically everything else). These cells form groups to also make up the tissues and organs we have that make up our physical body. All cells, except the hair and nail cells, are very much alive and hence they grow, replicate and die so that the body can grow as well. However, some cells in some people tend to keep growing and replicating, sometimes at an abnormal rate, until they have invaded or spread to other parts of the body and eventually cause harm to the individual. There are many types of Cancer; Lung Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Brain Cancer, Prostate Cancer, and even Breast Cancer. We’ll look more into Cancer when we discuss it on another day.

 

So, What’s Breast Cancer?

Just as Cancer can exist in any part of the body, it can occur in the breast and when this happens, it’s called Breast Cancer. Breast Cancer occurs in the breasts of both males and females, but the disease is more prevalent in females. According to a sighted survey on Britannica.com, more than two million new cases of the disease were recorded worldwide, in 2018 alone. The disease, if left unattended, could prove to be fatal leading to certain death. Fortunately, over recent years, the mortality rates associated with Breast Cancer has declined steadily.

 

Types of Breast Cancer

There are many types of breast cancer, below are listed some of them;

-Metastatic breast cancer

-Mucinous carcinoma

-Invasive lobular carcinoma

-Angiosarcoma

-Lobular carcinoma in situ

-Ductal carcinoma

-Male breast cancer

-Inflammatory breast cancer

 

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Whenever any of these signs come up, please do see a doctor for immediate evaluation, even if you recently had a clear mammogram:

-A change in the shape, size, or appearance of the breast.

-A thickening which feels different from the surrounding skin or the presence of a lump in the breast.

-The skin over the breast starts to change (dimpling).

-Formation of a newly inverted nipple.

-Blood discharge from nipples.

-Pain in any area of the breast.

-Flaky skin or redness of the skin on the breast.

 

What causes Breast Cancer?

Well, scientists do know that it occurs when the abnormal cells keep growing and replicate rapidly as compared to the healthy cells, leading to the accumulation and formation of a mass or lumps in the breast tissues. The cells may also metastasize or spread to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body.

There are many risk factors associated with breast cancer but then, ironically, the W.H.O records in https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer  that about half of breast cancer patients have no connection with some of these factors, statistically speaking. Needless to say, it's best to avoid these risk factors so as to not increase the health risks associated with them. The most common causes of breast cancer are; being a woman and old age. That aside, some other factors include, alcohol intake, smoking, unhealthy diets, birth at an older age, exposure to radiation, etc. You could find more factors listed on https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/risk-factor/table/

In men, breast cancer rarely happens. According to https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer , only about 0.5 - 1% of breast cancers do occur in men.

 

Reducing risk factors?

There are some behaviors that are in our control and an effort should be made so as to reduce the associated risks in order to prevent this disease. Such behaviors include;

-Controlling your weight.

-Regular physical activity.

-Avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke.

-Avoidance of the harmful use of alcohol

-Avoiding the prolonged use of hormones (synthesized).

-Avoiding excessive exposure to radiation.

-Prolonged breastfeeding of babies.

However, according to W.H.O, the modifiable risk factors would only possibly be able to reduce risks of acquiring the disease by at most 30%.

 

What to do?

In a way, we could say it's inevitable for most women to acquire the disease. The best way to deal with breast cancer is to regularly assess your breast by self-examination and by frequent visits to the doctor for early detection and management. That aside, your closest pharmacy, yep, the one in your pocket, Pharstcare, has medical consultants who you can trust to give the best of advice on what to do and how to examine yourself as well so that you can have a healthy living.

Have a lovely day!