Breast Cancer Awareness Month: What you need to know

admin Oncology
breast cancer awareness

As per reports 1 in 8 women or about 12% of the female population will be eventually diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide. It is quite true that the rate of cancer has decreased over the past few decades and early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the death toll that is associated with breast cancer. Even with this, many new cases are diagnosed every year, along with an astonishing number of deaths on breast cancer alone. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common affliction that is diagnosed in women worldwide.

With October being breast cancer awareness month, it is an ideal time to discover more about the deadly disease that devastates the lives of many. In addition to learning about breast cancer, you must also consider how you could help spread awareness and fight the disease.

Unfortunately, the risk of breast cancer seems to increase with age. Here are some risk factors

  1. Dense breast tissue
  2. Ethnicity
  3. Personal health
  4. Family History
  5. Body Weight
  6. Gene mutations such as BRCA1 or BRCA

Building awareness is one of the most effective ways to decrease deaths related to breast cancer. When women are aware of family history, they can undergo mammograms in accordance with doctor recommendations and maybe undergoing genetic testing to check for BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations as they serve as the best opportunity for early diagnosis and lifesaving treatments.

The risks of developing breast cancer can be reduced by taking up the following preventive measures

  1. Quit smoking and avoid other known carcinogens
  2. Follow healthy eating and exercise habits.
  3. Take proper medication to treat pre-cancerous conditions or prevent the onset of certain cancers.
  4. Opt for risk-reducing surgeries.
  5. What are the treatment options?

 

There are mainly two ways of treating breast cancer once it has been diagnosed. Local treatments such as surgery and radiation and systematic treatments such as hormone therapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy at Best Gynecologist Hospitals in Chennai. Sometimes surgery may seek to remove as much of breast cancer as possible through lumpectomy (tumor removal), mastectomy (breast removal), and/or lymphadenectomy (lymph node removal).

Radiation therapy may be employed sometimes along with other treatments. This may involve the use of high-energy rays on a specific area to eliminate any cancer cells that are left behind other treatments.

Last but not the least being aware of your body can help eliminate or manage breast cancer risk. You do not need to worry even if you find a lump or something abnormal. It could be anything from harmless fibroids to scar tissue. The most important thing is to know before it’s too late. Though breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, it also has one of the highest survival rates. Show your support to all who are fighting or have fought Breast Cancer with us. We at Venkataeswara Hospitals stand by the survivors.