How to Keep Yourself Informed About Breast Cancer

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By FrazzledNanny
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Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. It is every woman's right to see a health care provider and to receive preventive and early detection care.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Early Detection: A Mammogram can detect an abnormality even before it can be felt by the woman or her health care provider. Mammograms should be started at age 40. Clinical Breast Exams should be part of a periodic health exam (every three years for women in their 20's and 30's). Women need to know how their breast feel (through self breast exams) and they need to report any changes to their health care provider promptly. Women at high risk of breast cancer (family history, past breast cancer, genetic tendency) should talk to their doctor about what more you can do to protect yourself.
Step 2

Prevention: There is no prevention at this time. There are, however, way to reduce your risk. You can increase your physical activity, reduce the amount of alcohol you consume, keep your weight in a healthy range and discuss with your health care provider about taking an anti-estrogen drug to further reduce risk.
Step 3

Risk Factors:
1. Age ~ your risk increases as you get older.
2. Race/Ethnicity ~ Caucasian women are more likely to develop breast cancer. African-American women are more likely to die from this disease. Other racial and ethnic backgrounds tend to have a lower risk.
3. Family History ~ A close relative (mother, sister or daughter) who has had breast cancer increases your risk. If more than one close relative has been diagnosed, your risk increases more.
4. Socioeconomic Status ~ linked with a later stage of breast cancer at diagnosis, less adequate treatment and a worse prognosis.
5. Hormonal Factors ~ Early menarche (<12years), late menopause (>55), late age of first full-term pregnancy (>30), fewer pregnancies and recent use of oral contraceptives or post menopausal hormones all increase the risk.
Step 4

Some programs the American Cancer Society offers are:
1. Hope Lodges ~ a home-away-from-home for cancer patients and their loved ones.
2. I Can Hope ~ Topical educational classes.
3. Look Good...Feel Better ~ Helping cancer patients develop skills and techniques to overcome the appearance-related side effects of Chemo. and Radiation treatments.
4. Peer Support ~ Cancer Survivor's Network is a 24 hour a day online community. www.cancer.org.
5. Reach to Recovery ~ a volunteer support program comprised of breast cancer survivors.
6. Road to Recovery ~ Volunteer drivers offer free transportation for cancer patients to and from their lifesaving radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
7. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer ~ a walk/run event to raise funds specifically designated for breast cancer research and programs.

Comments

intheflow said

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on 9/14/2009 Well, I recommend women get thermograms. Much safer than mammograms which give you a dose of radiation, which hey, causes cancer. Also they can detect smaller masses. Of course thermograms have not yet been accepted as standard of care, so you won't see doctors recommending them yet. Just do your own research, and get the skinny on this early detection method.

PJSandAMovie said

on 8/9/2009 Very good article.
My mother is a breast cancer survivor. She has changed her lifestyle. She takes Noni Juice and Essiac Tea (a natural cancer remedy). She has also take organic lymphatic cleansers to help detox her body. Remember, cancer can not grow in a clean, healthy body