Thursday 30 August 2012

Interesting Facts about Breast Cancer

Without any doubt, cancer is still considered to be the worst among all the diseases. Though there are different types of cancer having their own levels of complexities, the word itself is sufficient to scare people. Millions of dollars are spent on research and development of drugs aimed at reducing the effects of cancer and finding a cure. But in order to prevent the disease to have life-threatening effects, early diagnosis is extremely beneficial. Effective treatment can be provided if all the known cancer types are discovered at an early stage. Due to the technological advancements in the field of medicine, there are medicines and procedures in place for treating patients who are in the early stages of cancer.

There are many women in this world who are affected with breast cancer. In this type of cancer, the breasts in women develop a tumor over a period of time and if not controlled, affect other parts of the body. There is another form of breast cancer where the tumor remains in its place of origin. The common breast cancer symptoms include increase in the shape and size of breasts, retraction of nipple, pain in breasts and abnormal discharge from nipples. Men are also prone to breast cancer, but they are very few in number as compared to women. The symptoms that are found in women are the same in case of men.

Self-examination can go a long way in determining the presence of lumps or mass around the breast. A hard lump in the breast is one of the most common symptoms of the disease that occurs in the early stage. A hard mass in the armpit can be a sign of the advancing of tumor. It is advisable for women to do self-examination of the breast periodically in order to detect the early symptoms of breast cancer. If any lumps are detected, the doctor can be consulted as soon as possible and this can avoid cancer from spreading. Older women must get mammography done once a year to detect the presence of any abnormal cells.

A biopsy reveals the presence of breast cancer in the patient and doctors determine the exact stage of the disease with the help of the report. Treatment is done according to the stage of the cancer, depending on whether or not it has spread to the other parts of the body. There are approximately four breast cancer stages and can be determined by different types of scans with the inclusion of blood test.

The main purpose behind any breast cancer treatment is to prevent or reduce the spread of the disease to other parts of the body. The patient\'s present medical condition determines the type of treatment provided by the doctor. The best way to remove the harmful cells in case of breast cancer responsible for the spread of the disease is surgery. Patients who get a part or the entire portion of breast removed can go for implants to get the breast in shape.


About the Author
Maryann is the author of this article on Breast Cancer Symptoms. Find more information, about Breast Cancer here