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Breast
Health
Breast Health
Statistics Every
eleven minutes in the U.S., a woman dies of breast
cancer. Every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with
it. By the age of 85, one in nine women will have
developed breast cancer. This year alone, we will lose
over 46,000 women to this disease. Although 809% of
the women that develop breast cancer have no risk
factors other than being a woman. The following
factors put a woman at a higher risk: Age: 70% of the
women who develop breast cancer are over the age of
50. Heredity: history of a mother, a sister or a
daughter that developed breast cancer, and No parity:
never haveing had a child or late chold bearing --
having your first child after the age of 30. Early
detection by mammography alone will save the lives of
one in three of the women who die of breast cancer.
Early detection in most cases allows for breast
conservation -- saving not only the life, but the
breast of a woman. Every woman should follow the
guidelines of the American Cancer Society by having
regular mammograms, preforming monthly self-breast
exams and having a physical exam performed yearly by a
health care practitioner.
Breast
Self-Exam 90%
of breast lumps are found by women themselves.
Self-breast exams take only fifteen minutes per mont
and is a tool that may save not only your life, but
your breast. This easy and effective method for
detection of changes will allow you to feel in charge
of your breast health. Self-exams should be performed
seven to ten days before your period starts -- when
your breast size is least stimulated by hormones.
After menopause, or if you’ve had an hysterectomy, do
you exam on the first day of the month. After a few
months, you will become familiar with the normal
feeling of the structures within your breast and you
will be able to detect slight changes should they
occur. The types of changes that you should be aware
of are lumps that you can see or feel, dimpling
orpuckering of the breast skin, changes in the contour
or wsize of oe breast in comparison to another, any
unuusal discharge from the nipple, a nipple that
retracts -- pulls into the breast and a thickening of
any area of the breast tissue. If you notice any of
these changes, make an appointment to see your doctor
to help you determine if there is a need for further
care. Self breast exam may indeed be your early
detection tool. You are worth the time it takes to
perform this monthly exam.
When to Get a
Mammogram The
American Cancer Society and the National Cancer
Institute have guidelines for women to follow
concerning mammography. Mammography offers the
earliest form of detection and can find the cancer
years before you can feel it. Early detection allows
for a woman to not only save her life, but her
breasts. The guidelines are as follows: * Before age
of 40, have a mammogram if recommended by your
physician. * By the age of 40, have your first
mammogram. * Ages 41-49, have a mammogram every one to
two years according to the recommendation of your
physician and the radiologists. * Age 50 and over,
have a mammogram yearly for the rest of your life.
70% of breast cancers
occur in women over the age of 50. Quality mammography
is the utmost importance. Be sure that the facility
you choose is accredited by either the Department of
Health Services, Radiology Division, or the American
College of Radiology. This accreditation will assure
you that the facility has quality equipment and
processing, as well as trained technologists and a
radiologist that specializes in reading mammograms. If
you had a previous mammogram, bring those films with
you to your appointment for comparison with your
latest exam. This may help find a cancer at an earlier
stage. Normally, the results of your mammogram are
forwarded to your physician to be included with your
medical records. If you do not hear from your
physician, do not hesitate to call for your results.
Remember, the key is early detection.
The
Mammogram Mammography
is a low dose x-ray that creates an image of your
breast. The tests show the inside of your breasts, and
can show irregularities before they can be found by
your or your doctor. Mammography is a test that takes
about 20 minutes to perform. Be sure to schedule your
mammogram at least seven days after your last period
started and two week before your next period is
scheduled to begin. This is a time when your breasts
will be least tender. The test is not painful,
however, some women experience minor discomfort for a
few moments during the test. On the day of the
mammogram, don’t use deodorant, perfume or powder.
After your mammogram, the test results will be sent to
your physician. Always contact your physician to find
out the results of your test. Never rely totally on
the doctor to call you an any results. Early detection
is your best protection against breast cancer. Combine
a regularly scheduled mammogram with your self-breast
exam and fight back against breast cancer. Having a
mammogram is a healthy thing to do.
If You Find a
Lump The
key word is change. 90% of breast lumps are found by
women themselves. Along with mammography, performing a
monthly self-breast exam offers women the best chance
to find a change early enough, to not only save her
life, but to save her breasts. Any change should be
reported to your physician, but don’t panic because 9
out of 10 lumps are not cancerous. Other than a lump
in the breast that you can see or feel, what else
should you be aware of? A dimpling or puckering of the
skin of the breast, a change in the contour of the
breast, an enlargement of only one breast, an unusual
discharge from the nipple, a nipple that retracts into
the breast, a thickening of any area of the breast
tissue. Remember, your doctor is your helpmate to
determine whether there is a reason for concern. Call
for an appointment if you notice any of the described
symptoms. Although 1 out of 9 women will develop
breast cancer, 9 out of 10 can fight back. Early
detection is the best defense.
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