More and more women are surviving breast cancer, but it is still a leading cause of cancer related death among women.   The key to a cure is early detection.  it is important to know the symptoms of breast cancer.   Prevention and vigilance are your best protection.

Basically breast cancer occurs when cells start to grow out of control.  In many cases, breast cancer can cause a lump or tumor in the breast.  You should have any hard lump checked by your doctor.  Other possible signs of breast cancer include discharge from the nipple, or puckering skin on the breast.  Also you should check for breast symmetry.  If one breast starts to point in a different direction, you may have a problem.  Changes in skin color, or itching and scabbing can also be a cause for concern.   You should also keep an eye on your lymph nodes under your arms for unusual swelling or lumps.

You should get into the habit of examining your breasts every month about a week after your menstrual period.   Lie down on your bed, and feel deeply but gently into your breast in a circular pattern. Start at the nipple, and work your way outward including to the underarm.   Complete the same exam again standing up.   Look at your breasts in the mirror for any unusual changes.  As an added bonus, massaging your breasts can help prevent cancer.   Massage improves circulation, and helps get any trapped lymph fluid moving.

If you are under 40 years of age, you should also have your breasts looked at by a medical professional at least every three years. Once you are over 40, you should get a clinical breast exam every year.  You should also talk to your doctor about further tests such as mammography or thermography.  Mammography involves x-rays to discover unusual growth or masses that you could not feel with a manual exam.  Thermographby can also uncover unusual cell activity, without the radiation of an x-ray.

Some women are at a higher risk of breast cancer than others.  Women with a close family member diagnosed with the disease should seek further testing.    If you waited to have children until after the age of 30 you may be at a higher risk as well. 

If a lump is discovered, your doctor will usually recommend a biopsy to confirm whether it is cancerous.   If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, the most successful methods of treatment for breast cancer include surgery to remove the cancer, followed by chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of the two treatments.   If the cancer has not spread, a lumpectomy will be performed.  This involves just removing the cancerous tissue, and a small amount of surrounding tissue in case it has started to infiltrate beyond the tumor.   More aggressive cancer usually involves a mastectomy which is the removal of one or both breasts. Depending on the form of breast cancer you are diagnosed with, your treatment will be followed by a series of chemotherapy or radiation sessions.

Modern breast cancer treatments are being investigated.  For example, Targeted Biological Therapy will treat only the damaged cancer cells, while avoiding normal cells.  This is in contrast to chemotherapy, which affects all cells equally.

You may also want to consider changing your diet and lifestyle to help prevent a recurrence of the disease.    Fresh organic fruits and vegetables should be a mainstay of your diet.  Vitamin D is also showing promise to keep the disease at Bay.  Don’t ingest high levels of Vitamin D as that has shown to have the opposite affect.  However, recommended doses of vitamin D could be beneficial. Try to include healthy fats such as olive oils or omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.  Flax seeds, and other nuts and seeds are also very beneficial.

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