Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that forms in the mammary gland. According to statistics, a fifth of women around the world have this disease. Most often, the disease catches those women who are over 50 years old.
Causes
Over the past decades, breast cancer has become the first cause of death for women 35-55 years old. There are several reasons for this. The first is the poor ecology of the entire planet. The second is the reluctance of many women to give birth and breastfeed, and, as you know, breastfeeding reduces the risk of this disease.
Very often, breast cancer is a consequence of mastopathy and fibroadenoma. In addition, it was proved that the risk of developing the disease increases at times if a woman abuses smoking and taking alcoholic beverages.
Serious injuries to the breast are another reason that could cause breast cancer, a photo of which you will see below. It is also known that women who get rid of their first pregnancy are more likely to be affected by this disease.
Symptoms
- The formation of compaction in the mammary gland.
- Discharge of red from the nipples.
- Change the contour and shape of the chest.
- Changing the shape of the nipple - sunken or retracted.
- Swollen lymph nodes in the armpits, under and above the clavicle.
- Change in the structure, color and general appearance of the skin of the chest.
- Strong sensitivity of the mammary glands.
Treatment
Depending on what stage the disease is at, the methods for its treatment may be different. As a rule, a set of measures is used, which include: surgical intervention, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and chemotherapy. At the same time, they try to carry out organ-preserving measures, but each specific case is individual. Therefore, sometimes the removal of mammary glands is the only measure that can fight breast cancer. The operation helps to prevent the formation of metastases in other organs.
Prevention
To prevent the appearance of such an insidious disease as breast cancer, every woman needs to conduct a regular (every month) examination of the mammary glands. Moreover, it can be performed independently as follows:
- Standing in front of a mirror, a woman should examine the appearance of the breasts and nipples - if their shape has not changed.
- Next, she needs to raise her hands and again examine the chest - first in front, and then left and right.
- In the next stage, in a standing position, a woman needs to press on the upper outer quarter of her chest with her middle fingers and with gentle movements to probe the gland down clockwise. In case of any changes, consult a doctor.
- Next, you need to squeeze between the index and thumb the nipple on one and then on the other chest, and check if there is any discharge from them. If there is, then it should be seen by a doctor.
- Then, while lying down, examine each quarter of the breasts clockwise.
At the last stage of the self-examination, which can be used to prevent breast cancer, a woman should determine if the lymph nodes are enlarged - if so, then run to the doctor.