Breast Cancer Post 1

Breast Cancer Introduction

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that originates in the breast. This kind of a tumor is a group of cancer cells that invades surrounding tissues or spreads to distant areas of the body. Breast cancer is most common in women, however, males can get breast cancer as well. The most common type of breast cancer is known as ductal carcinoma. This cancer begins in the milk duct (lactiferous duct). Cancer that begins in the lobules, lobular carcinoma, is much less common. In its early stages, breast cancer may not express any visible symptoms. For this reason, it is vital to perform self-breast checks once a month.

How to perform a breast-self exam:

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-self-exam

The first sign of breast cancer is often a breast lump or an abnormal mammogram. If you are nervous about getting a mammogram, or if you don’t fully understand the importance, visit this website to learn more: 

http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/mammograms.html

The majority of lumps are not cancerous, however, you should always get checked for any abnormality that you may come across. According to the National Health Service, UK, women who detect any of the following signs or symptoms should tell their doctor:

There are many breast cancer treatment options. Six types of standard treatment include:

• Surgery
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy followed by surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Hormone therapy
• Targeted therapy

To find out more about your treatment options, visit:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/Patient/page5 

A breast cancer diagnosis can be extremely scary, however, there is no reason to feel alone. If you feel alone, or you just want to talk to someone that understands, I highly suggest you form a support group or find a breast cancer support group in your area. To learn more about support groups, visit:

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/comp_med/types/group

or

http://www.cancer.org/treatment/supportprogramsservices/index

A video about cancer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsviAPGfPUo



References:

1. Nordqvist, C. (2014, November 7). Retrieved September 24, 2014, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37136.php

2. Breast Cancer Treatment (PDQ®). (2014, November 25). Retrieved September 24, 2014, from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/Patient/page5