Breast Cancer : Causes, Symptoms, Observe and Prevention

Breast Cancer - Cancer has been one of the leading illnesses in our present time. In fact, in the latest report from Reuters, patients infected with this disease has increased by 8.2M in the year 2012. One of the leading cancer illnesses that has been reported is breast cancer.

In the U.S. alone, it has been found that patients with this illness has reached 697,020 and these are both male and female patients. The leading cause that led to the said illness is the change in the lifestyle of people.

What are the causes of breast cancer?

Doctors and Physicians are still clueless as to the exact cause of this illness. However, they have come with several possible reasons why one person would develop such an illness. Among these are:

Getting older - the older a woman gets, the higher is her risk of developing the illness

Genetics - women who have a close relative who has/had breast or ovarian cancer are more likely to contract this cancer.

The majority of breast cancer patients however, are not hereditary. Women who carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a considerably higher risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. These genes can be inherited. TP53, another gene, is also linked to greater breast cancer risk.

1. Previous Breast Cancer Patients
2. Having had certain types of breast lumps -
3. Dense breast tissue
4. Estrogen exposure
5. Obesity
6. Height
7. Alcohol consumption
8. Radiation exposure
9. HRT (hormone replacement therapy)
10. Cosmetic implants

Since there is no specific cause for breast cancer, it is best to find ways on how to prevent acquiring the said illness. Here are some of the possible ways for you to prevent contracting the disease.

1. Exercise - There is nothing more important that providing proper exercise as part of our daily routine.

2. Diet - Along with exercise would come along proper diet in order to keep yourself fit.

3. Taking supplements - A lot of herbal supplements are out in the market today that have several good effects or benefits to our body. For one to be able to prevent contracting cancer, they must get supplements that contain high ORAC values or in order words, a lot of anti-oxidants. There are a lot of anti-oxidant supplements out in the market today and among them are the following:

- Gluthatione

- Mangosteen

- Moringa

- Goji Berry

- Acai Berry

- Maqui Berry

Summing things up, cancer is something that we can prevent if we would only be able to build our immune system with the aid of anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidant rich foods are found in:

Small Red Beans

Wild Blueberry

Red Kidney Bean

Pinto Bean

Cranberr

Artichoke

Blackberry

Prunes

Raspberry

Strawberry

Having all these fruits listed, it would be best to take at least one of these or to include them in our daily food regimen.

Do you want to prevent the risk of having cancer? Take on and eat on the different supplements that are high on anti-oxidants.

Another article : Chemotherapy effects

Symptoms For Breast Cancer and Other Cancer Signs

Women are usually more comfortable than men about going to the doctor for checkups and regular medical screening, yet strangely younger women tend to ignore symptoms that might be a warning sign of cancer. But what are the symptoms for breast cancer and other potential cancer signs?

Thinking cancer is a problem of the old, or that most cancers are incurable they let symptoms go. This is a tragic mistake that costs lives, even young lives. Striking a balance between awareness and denial is tricky, which is why online medical resource WebMD asked experts to talk about changes in your body that should bring you to the doctor for a checkup.

1) Unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds in a month, if you haven't been doing anything to encourage it. Cancer isn't always the answer here, sometimes an overactive thyroid can be to blame, but you won't know until you see your doctor.

2) Bloating ("my jeans don't fit!") that happens every day and lingers for more than a few weeks should be investigated. You may have blood work and CT scans as your doctor rules out ovarian cancer, an often silent and utterly treatable form of cancer.

3) Breast changes, not just lumps, but redness or thickening of the skin (or a rash that stays around for a few weeks) on the breast can be the first sign of a rare, aggressive form of cancer. If the look of a nipple changes, or you see discharge (and aren't breastfeeding) you should be evaluated at once.

4) For pre-menopausal women, bleeding between periods should be checked, especially if your cycles are typically very regular and spotting is unusual for you. Bleeding after menopause is also a must-check symptom.

5) Skin changes, not just in moles, but changes in the pigment of the skin, sudden bleeding on your skin or excessive scaling are all things you want to bring to your doctor's attention if they persist for more than a few weeks.

6) Trouble swallowing that has you changing the consistency of the foods you eat is a symptom not to be ignored. Your doctor will take a careful history, order chest X-rays or other exams of the GI tract.

7) Blood in the wrong place, such as in your urine or stool could be a warning sign you doctor will need to investigate. Coughing up blood must be evaluated too, especially if this happens more than once.

8) Gnawing belly pain and depression can be an early sign of pancreatic cancer according to some researchers, though the link isn't well understood. These two symptoms happening together for even a few days are reason enough for a trip to your doctor.

9) Persistent indigestion without pregnancy might be a red flag for cancer of the esophagus, stomach or throat. Your doctor will do a careful evaluation before deciding what tests, if any, to order.

10) Changes in your mouth such as white patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue, especially if you smoke, are clues you need to bring to the attention of your dentist or doctor.

11) Pain that persists and is unexplained needs to be evaluated right away, as it can be an early symptom of some cancers.

12) Changes in lymph nodes like a lump or swelling in the nodes under your armpit or neck, or on any part of your body could be an early warning sign. If the change in the lymph node stays around for a month or more, see your doctor.

13) Fever without any explanation (the flu or another infection) can suggest early blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma. If the fever comes with jaundice or change in the color of your stool, call your doctor for a physical, X-ray, CT scan, MRI or other testing.

14) Fatigue is a vague symptom that can point to cancer, especially if there's no other reason (busy schedule, late nights, etc.) for feeling so wiped out, even after you've gotten a good night sleep.

15) Prolonged coughs are a discomfort of colds and allergies, but a cough that lasts three to four weeks shouldn't be ignored any longer. Your doctor will do an exam, check your lung functioning and order X-rays, especially if you smoke.

If any of these easy-to-ignore symptoms suddenly becomes a part of your life, don't wait. Instead, listen to your body and make the time to see a doctor about your concerns. Denial can, and does, kill many people, even young ones. You owe it to yourself and those in your life who love you to have warning symptoms for breast cancer or other cancer signs checked out by your doctor so that you won't be one of them.

Tips on How to Observe Your Breasts for Signs of Cancer Properly

A lot of women do not like to talk about their breasts and they certainly do not like to stare at them, or to palpate them to search for lumps. These self exams and observations can save the lives of more women than all of the mammograms that will be done this year. The self exam and observation that you do will allow you to notice changes quicker and be able to detect problems sooner. The sooner you discover a lump or change the better your chances of surviving if it is malignant.

You need to exam your breasts once every month for lumps. This means you will need to feel the breast to find any places that seem different than the last time that you checked them. It is recommended that you do these examinations on the same day of the month each time so that the tissue you are palpating will be the same. Your mammary glands swell and change at different times of the month in unison with your monthly cycle. SO make sure that you schedule a day and keep that day every month as your-self check day.

You want to get in the shower and slowly feel every portion of the breast matter. You do this by starting at the nipple and using two fingers to feel the tissue you slowly make small circles until you have covered the entire area. Doing this in the shower while you are soapy makes it easier to do.

You also want to check them again while you are lying on the bed. Lie flat of your back and hold one arm above your head, with the other hand exam the tissue on the side of the body that the arm is lifted on. Then repeat on the other side of your body. Now touch them with your arms lying flat against your sides. You are trying to sense changes or places that seem to be hard like a small pea.

You need to stand in front of the mirror naked and look at your reflection. Make sure that your nipples line up. Is one higher than the other? Do the left and the right sides look the same? When you look at your reflection the left side of your chest and the right side of your chest should look the same. If you have a dimple on the left you should have a dimple on the right as well. If you notice discrepancies you need to see your doctor.

You also want to look at the skin around the nipple and on the surface of the bosom. If the skin appears to be smooth then you are fine but when the skin appears to be textured like an orange peeling is then you have cause for concern. You will need to see your doctor and have this checked out.

Breast cancer is survivable if you catch it early. So take the time to do the examination and always get further advice if you notice any discrepancies.