Since its beginning the story of Breast Cancer is one of devastation and tears, hope and triumph; and although much has been discovered about the disease it remains as much an enigma today as it was in the time of Ancient Egypt.
This month, the month of October, women all over the world, of every age, culture, and race take part in fighting and acknowledging Breast Cancer. For millions of these women the fight continues, every minute of every day; to them our hopes are with you, our wishes are with you and together let us all try in whatever way we can to fight like David had Goliath, and finally bring this beast to its end.
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast Cancer occurs when cells in your breast begin to grow erratically. It can occur anywhere in your breast, such as the lobules, or sacs that produce milk. In most cases however, it is found in the ducts of the breast, the part which is responsible for carrying milk. These cancerous cells then form a malignant tumour, which may invade the surrounding breast tissue and the lymph nodes (our immune system cells that help fight infections). Breast Cancer can occur in one or both breasts.
Symptoms include:
-Abnormal lump in breast, which is single, firm and often painless
- Spontaneous clear or bloody discharge from the nipple
- Changes in shape or size of your breast
- Indented or retracted nipple
- Swelling of parts of the skin on the breast or underarm
- Veins on the skin surface become more prominent on one breast
- A depression is found in an area of the breast surface
Risk Factors which enhances the possibility of acquiring Breast Cancer:
Sex & Age: While thousands of men are afflicted with breast cancer yearly, the disease remains predominantly a female one. Women in the US over the age of 50 account for 77% of cases, making them most at risk. Although women under the age of 30 also can be affected, it is not widespread.
Heredity & Race:
Breast cancer is a disease which is both selective and indiscriminate. According to the American Cancer Society’s estimates, over 75 % of breast cancer cases occur in women with no known risk factors, other than sex and age.
Heredity: Defects in BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes. Statistically 5% to 10% of breast cancers are linked to modifications (mutations) in certain genes. The most common gene changes are those of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Women with these gene changes have up to an 80% chance of acquiring breast cancer during their lifetimes. Other gene changes may raise breast cancer risk as well.
BRCA 1 (Breast Cancer gene 1) and BRCA 2 (Breast Cancer gene 2) are genes that are responsible for making proteins which in turn keep our cells from growing abnormally, but in women with a genetic predisposition of the BRCA 1 or BRCA2 genes to mutate, they become ineffective thus unable to provide protection. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are also involved in DNA repair.
Research shows that women of Eastern European Jewish ancestry (called "Ashkenazi" Jews) are especially at risk of having defected BRCA genes. About 1 out of 40 of these women carry a founder mutant in their BRCA genes; roughly 20% of Jewish women diagnosed with breast cancer before age 41 have a founder modification of the BRCA gene.
Testing for Defected BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
Specialised laboratories detect mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes by a DNA sequencing test of a family member who has had breast or ovarian cancer. Once a mutation has been found the laboratory can then look for that same type of gene modification in other family members who have never had cancer.
Having a mother, sister, daughter diagnosed with breast cancer, about doubles your risk.Relatives from both your father and mother’s families who have had the disease also increase your risk.
Race:Caucasian Women are likely to have breast cancer than those of other races, while women of Afro-African decent have a lower rate of breast cancer than Caucasian women they are more likely to die from the disease than their counter parts. Reasons include: Genetic and/or more likely delayed detection. Asian women are amongst those groups with a lower incident of breast cancer in the world. Nevertheless, women of Asian origin living in the US have a higher risk than those living in Asia. This has led to the speculation that attributing risk factors are diet and lifestyle, including having children later on in life or not at all.
Excess Weight & Lack of Exercise: Studies suggest a link between being over weight and breast cancer. Excess body weight in women appears to be more important in breast cancer risk than previously thought. More studies are being done to understand this link. For now, one should maintain a sensible diet which includes all vitamins and minerals. In addition regular exercise has shown to reduce a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer. This is especially true for women who have gained weight after menopause for they are at higher risk.
Alcohol: Use of alcohol on a regular basis, even a few drinks per week has been shown to increase your risk.
Birth control pills: According to the American Cancer Society, women who currently use the pill may have a slightly increased risk. Women who stopped using them 10 years ago, probably don’t have this risk. Possible reasons: Prolonged exposure to estrogen: using the pill at an early age, and furthering its use. Having a child generally reduces your changes of breast cancer.
Additional risk factors:
Early Menstrual: Having your period before the age of 12
Hormone Therapy: According to the National Cancer Institute, women who take hormone therapy for five or more years after menopause seem to be at greater risk. The combination of estrogen plus progesterone puts women at a slightly higher risk; in addition hormone therapy may make tumors difficult to detect on mammograms. If you are on hormone therapy, it is important to let the doctor ordering your mammogram know as well as the radiologist, so that they will know that the test will be a bit less sensitive.
Smoking
Having started menopause after age 55
Never having been pregnant
Estrogen: If you have a late menopause, or began menstruating before age 12, you have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer. The same is true for women who have never had children, or waited until after age 30 to have children.
Over use of Antibiotics: One theory, suggested on the National Cancer Institute’s website, is that antibiotics affect the body’s immune function. Note: Antibiotics are extremely important in combating bacterial infections, but unwarranted or excessive use may increase your breast cancer risk; in addition of potentially making a person less responsive to antibiotic treatments in the future.
What Are Our Best Defenses Against Breast Cancer?
In addition to being aware of the disease and limiting your risk factors as best as possible, through diet, and exercise, you should also have a regular monthly BSE (Breast Self Examination) starting in your 20’s. You can do this in the privacy of your home, or if you wish have your doctor perform it for you.
BSE: Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through breast self-exams. NOTE: Not all lumps are detectable by touch. Eight out of ten breast lumps are not cancerous. If you find a lump, don't panic-call your doctor for an appointment. If over the age of 40 you should have a yearly Mammogram as well as your monthly BSE.
There is so much more to learn about Breast Cancer, even to write about it would take thousands of pages; and although advancement in new medicine has led to better treatment of the disease, finding a real cure has proven more elusive. Sure we did send some men to the moon and back, so why shouldn’t we be able figure this out? But curing cancers like Breast Cancer are more complex than the dynamics of space travel, and besides we have yet to find a cure for the common cold. When all is said and done, Mother Nature takes over, she can be kind and loving, but then she can be pretty terrible, in the end learning from her continuous metamorphous seems the only path to uncovering her many mysteries. The challenge continues, and so shall we.
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Very informative. If this saves only one person from procrastinating too much when suspicion is there that something is wrong, it was worth your effort a thousand times.
ReplyDeleteThanks Frode and I agree with you - if one life is saved the better the world is because of it... thank you for the support!
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