Breast cancer - recognize the enemy at the beginning

Among oncological diseases in women, the first place is now a breast tumor. Moreover, if the disease is diagnosed at an early stage, then it can be successfully cured. You can even notice warning signs during a routine check-up.

Breast Cancer Causes

This disease has already been sufficiently studied, and its causes are clearly defined. It has been noticed that the risk of developing a tumor becomes higher under the influence of certain factors. These include:

• Hereditary predisposition. In the presence of a malignant neoplasm of the breast in the closest relatives of a woman, it increases several times the possibility of the same diagnosis in her.
• If the cancer was on one breast, then there is a high probability that the disease will recur with the other breast, even if in the first case it was successfully cured.

• If a woman's reproductive system has developed with some peculiarities, then she has a risk of getting cancer.
• Women who use OC for more than 10 years in a row or take such contraceptives after 35 years are predisposed to the development of cancer.
• The use of hormonal agents lasting more than 3 years after the end of the last menstruation (with menopause).
• Long stay in areas with unfavorable environmental conditions.
• Endocrine system diseases, overweight, high blood pressure.

Since many of these reasons cannot be eliminated in any way, and also because cancer can develop even in the absence of all these factors, it is important to direct efforts not to remove risks, but to timely diagnosis. Visit your doctor more often, who will help you recognize the signs of the onset of tumor development in time.

Breast cancer symptoms

There are frequent cases when a malignant neoplasm in the chest manifests itself only by small lymph nodes in the armpits. It is very difficult to notice the development of cancer when the mammary glands are large.

The earliest signs of cancer development are found on their own. You should be concerned if:

• There are irregular and shapeless lumps in the chest.
• If you press on the chest, it is painful.
• The mammary glands are asymmetrical and there is no symmetry of the nipples.
• Since the mammary glands are directly related to the reproductive system, you should be attentive to indirect signs, for example, menstrual irregularities or difficulties with the onset of pregnancy.

By the way, even in a healthy woman, the mammary glands are not always symmetrical, therefore, to assess the symptoms, one should pay attention to the sensations in the chest during menstruation. If sensations are felt more clearly in one of the mammary glands than in the other, this may indicate the possible development of a tumor. Pay attention to the nature of the neoplasm. If the tumor is benign in nature, it will have the correct ball shape, move freely under the skin without growing together with it, soft to the touch and slowly increasing in size.

Breast Cancer Prevention

To prevent the development of breast cancer, it is very important to regularly visit a mammologist for examination. In this case, the doctor conducts a manual examination of the breast. If you are over 35 years old, then an ultrasound or mammography is prescribed in addition. If there is a suspicion of the development of a malignant neoplasm, then the woman will have to be examined by an oncologist as well.

It is very useful as a preventive measure to independently examine the breast. This procedure begins with an external examination of the breast in a mirror. The chest should not be very asymmetrical, there should be no nipple retraction, skin redness or nipple discharge. Then you need to lie on your back and examine the chest for lumps. Don't forget to examine your armpits as well. If you find suspicious bumps or nodules, be sure to see your doctor.

To prevent cancer it is very important to eat right. You need to eat more vegetables and fruits, fish, vegetable fats, nuts... It is recommended to consume more fiber - bran, whole grain bread, wild rice.

Limit the amount of red meat, smoked meats and sausages. All of these foods contain many carcinogens that are beneficial for the development of cancer. It is better to pay attention to the white meat of chicken, turkey, eggs.

For drinks, it is better to drink green tea, which is high in antioxidants. Drink herbal teas as well. Eat garlic every day or onion, they are also high in antioxidants.

Breast cancer treatment

Modern methods of treatment suggest an integrated approach to the problem of cancer. The main part of the treatment is the surgical removal of the tumor. It can be of a different nature.

If a tumor is found recently, then an operation is performed, during which the tumor itself and part of the skin around it are excised. If the tumor is small, then such an operation will not affect the appearance of the breast.

When the tumor is large, a mastectomy is inevitably performed. This operation involves removing the entire affected breast. Lymph nodes located close to the breast are also removed.

If the risk of the disease is high on a healthy breast, both breasts can be removed.

Any of these operations causes irreparable harm to the psychological health of a woman. Therefore, in order to restore confidence in a woman, after successful treatment, plastic surgery to restore the mammary glands can be performed.

In addition to surgical treatment, radiation therapy is also performed. It is performed after the operation and aims to kill the remaining cancer cells.

Chemotherapy can also be used to eliminate cancer cells. It is performed both before and after surgery. In the first case, chemotherapy is needed to shrink the tumor.

In recent years, targeted therapy has been used. This method of treatment involves the introduction of drugs into the cancer tissue. This minimizes the effects of drugs on healthy cells.

The most effective treatment involves a combination of different treatments. But in some cases, only targeted therapy can be used.