In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month we want to offer information so that you can be informed about this disease. We understand that breast cancer affects thousands of women but to keep things balanced we will also speak on the thousands of men who are affected by this disease also. Breastcancer.org states that 1 in 8 women in America will develop aggressive breast cancer in their lifetime, estimate that 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed, and estimate 62,570 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed this year alone. They also report that men are expected to have 2,360 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed this year. Keep in mind that even though the statistics for breast cancer in men are lower, men still have a 1 in 1000 chance of developing this type of cancer. In being socially responsible we have to promote both men and women getting tested for breast cancer and that should also include genetic testing as well for those with a genetic predisposition.
Some of the symptoms:
** A lump, hard knot, or thickening inside the breast or underarm area
** Swelling, warmth, redness, or darkening of the breast
** Change in the size or shape of the breast
** Dimpling or puckering of skin
** Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
** Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
** Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
** New pain in one spot that does not go away
Available treatments:
** Surgery
Includes breast-conserving surgery or a mastectomy.
** Radiation therapy
Treatment with high-energy rays or particles that destroy cancer cells. (External beam radiation/Accelerated breast irradiation/ 3D Conformal radiation/Brachytherapy)
** Chemotherapy
Treatment with cancer-killing drugs that may be given intravenously or by mouth.
** Hormone therapy
Another form of systemic therapy that is most often used as an adjuvant therapy to help reduce the risk of the cancer coming back after surgery
** Targeted therapy
Targeted drugs that work differently from standard chemotherapy drugs.
** Bone- directed therapy
In instances where cancer has spread to the bones, drugs like bisphosphonates and denosumab can lower the risk of fractures and other problems
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There are also holistic or natural approaches to treating breast cancer. I suggest that you do your due diligence with regard to holistic approaches. I do not advocate one treatment above another. I can only advocate that you get all of the information needed to make an informed decision about what works best for your situation. This article is not intended to give you all of the information on breast cancer. It is only intended to give you a starting point from which you can begin to understand the severity of the disease and it detection. Early detection is important, so get tested regularly. It is also important to discuss all of your treatment options with your doctor. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @NakeashaJ and on Instagram @Melanated_Beauty.
