Breast Cancer Information, News and Updates

Doctors recommend three screenings for those at risk for breast cancer.  They are screening mammograms, breast exam by a medical professional, and self-exams of the breasts.  The National Cancer Institute has set specific guidelines and recommendations for how often these three screenings should be done.

Screening Mammograms

Screening mammograms are recommended for women over 40 every one to two years.  If a woman is under 40 but has other risk factors for developing breast cancer, their health care professional can help them decide how often they should have this screening.  Mammograms will often show a small lump even before it is felt, or show tiny specks of calcium.  These can be precancerous and further tests are needed to discover if there are any abnormal cells present.  If you do have a lump that shows up on a mammogram, your doctor may ask you to have further tests.  A more complex mammogram, ultrasound, or a biopsy might be suggested.  The only way to tell if the cells are cancerous is by having a biopsy.  Biopsies are performed with small, thin needles, larger needles, or by a small incision made in the affected area.  A pathologist will then examine the cells under a microscope to find out if the extracted cells are cancerous.

Mammograms are the best tool doctors have in discovering breast cancer, but they are not foolproof.  A mammogram can give a false negative, false positive, or may not detect some cancers at all.  These mammograms have little risk because of the low dosage of radiation used.  Shields can be provided to protect other areas of your body if you are requested to have several mammograms.  Normally, there is a small risk of damage from a mammogram.
Clinical Breast Exams

Clinical breast exams are performed regularly when you have your yearly physical.  Your health care provider will look at your breasts to discover if there are any size or color abnormalities.  They will check for skin discoloration, rashes, and other abnormal signs.  The nipples may be squeezed to check if fluid (other than milk) is present.  During the exam, your doctor may ask you to raise your arms above your head, put your hands on your hips, or let them dangle at your sides.

The breast exam consists of using fingers to check the entire breast, under the arm, and around the collarbone for any lumps that can be felt.  The lump normally will be the size of a pea before it can be felt.  Lymph nodes are also checked now, to check for swelling or abnormalities.

Perform Regular Self Breast Exams

A self-breast exam should be done monthly to check for any changes or lumps in your breasts.  Remember that as you age, your breasts will start to change shape, and other hormonal changes can affect them during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause, or if you are taking birth control pills.  The National Cancer Institute recommends you do a self-exam every month at the same time of each month.  One convenient way to remember is to choose your birthday as the date for performing your self-exam each month.

Technorati Tags: breast cancer screening, breast exam, mammograms

Thanks to the strides in technology and medicine, there are more women surviving and thriving after breast cancer. For many of these women, a mastectomy is their only option for a successful treatment.  Once the immediate cancer danger is over, many of these women are dealing with the emotional issues of self-worth due to the loss of one or both breasts.  Having breast reconstruction cosmetic surgery performed is a choice many make to help them feel more like a woman again.
Breast Reconstruction Cosmetic Surgery

How the breast reconstruction surgery is performed depends on several factors.  First of all, mastectomy procedures always have some differences because each woman’s breasts are different.  So, how the mastectomy was performed is a factor as well as the state of the patient’s skin. Include the wants and expectations of the patient and you have the basis of a breast reconstruction that may differ greatly from one woman to the next.

For those women with sufficient excess skin after a mastectomy, implants are a good possibility for them.  The women would first undergo a procedure that would help expand the skin in the chest area, so that an implant could be accommodated.  This tissue expansion is done by inserting a device under the skin that looks similar to a balloon.  It is filled with a saline solution over a predetermined period of time.  This helps stretch the skin in preparation for implants during a breast reconstruction.

When the amount of skin in the chest area is insufficient for implants, donor skin and tissue from other parts of her body is used.  The stomach or abdominal area is the most popular choice. The procedure to extract the skin and excess tissue from the abdominal area is similar to that of a tummy tuck. While this procedure involves more recovery time, some women enjoy the side benefits of a firmer tummy when they get new breasts out of the deal!

Another fatty, fleshy area that sometimes serves as a donor site is the back.  Cosmetic surgeons extract tissue through the armpit area to the breast site. Some muscle is also used to reconstruct the breast or provide a cushioned area to insert a small implant.  Sometimes, your buttocks area provides the donor tissue for breast reconstruction cosmetic surgery.  Each woman’s body and situation is different, so consultations with the surgeon are essential in choosing the best course of action.
Effects of Using a Donor Site

When using a donor site, there are some repercussions.  Some women report muscle weakness in their back and arms, if the donor tissue site is taken from the back. In addition, the scars are more visible. Luckily, this is not the case for those women whose abdomen is the donor tissue site.  For these women, there are faint chances of a hernia or cases of “Buddha” belly. Overall, most women recover quite nicely after breast reconstruction cosmetic surgery.  They will always have scars, but the rewards far outweigh the leftover physical aspects of the procedure.

During a woman’s recovery, it is important to note that those who are able to have breast reconstruction right away after a mastectomy will have a longer recuperative time.  If the reconstruction surgery is put off a while after the mastectomy, there is an easier recovery period.  Returning to normal activities could take weeks even several months, depending on which procedure was taken during the breast reconstruction surgery.

Women undergoing these cosmetic procedures need to have reasonable viewpoints regarding the expected outcome. Physically, breast reconstruction cosmetic surgery will help women achieve a lasting breast outline and bring a proportional look to the chest area. This renewed sense of femininity boosts their self-confidence and eliminates the need for those bras with the prosthetic inserts that have the potential to pop out of a shirt.  However, it is important to also note that the scars will always be there to serve as a reminder of everything they have gone through.  Their new breasts will not feel the same or they may have lost sensation permanently in certain places like the nipple area.

You should have consultations with your cosmetic surgeons to help define your expectations of the breast reconstruction cosmetic surgery.  Counseling from a psychologist might also be helpful to sort through your feelings about loosing a breast and getting a new one through surgery. Most breast cancer survivors view their scars with pride and see them as badges of honor they have earned in their winning battle with cancer.

Technorati Tags: breast reconstruction, breast cancer

There is a website called AbortionBreastCancer.com that claims there is a link between abortions and breast cancer.

In 1986, government scientists wrote a letter to the British journal Lancet and acknowledged that abortion is a cause of breast cancer.  They wrote, “Induced abortion before first term pregnancy increases the risk of breast cancer.”  (Lancet, 2/22/86, p. 436)

However, over at the Mayo Clinic site, I also found this:

There’s no credible evidence of a link between induced abortion and breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Here are some other discussions that you can follow along:

Is the link between abortion and breast cancer proven?

A report from the National Cancer Institute

Technorati Tags: abortion, breast cancer

When it comes to a number of other diseases, people have choices. They can prevent them if they choose to be prudent. But with the big C, things aren’t so simple. Since our bodies all contain cancer cells, it’s difficult to tell if they will react in a negative fashion and turn on us, hence destroying our body from the inside out. One of the worst types of cancer is that of the breast. Naturally this is why a breast cancer foundation was started

There are many who may not be able to pay for cancer treatment. Fortunately there is a breast cancer foundation that can help. We should all take pride in donating to such an organization that has a sole purpose of providing funds and assistance toward victims and research. After all, let’s face it, cancer always requires better health insurance and more research. The breast cancer foundation and those who’re involved will continue down this path until an answer is found.

Even you can get involved with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation or other cancer foundations for that matter. It’s all about donating a little extra cash you might have laying around. There are also bracelets available for purchase that helps support the Breast Cancer Foundation. Do your part! With everyone pitching in, so much more gets accomplished. This is the only way we can work to defeat this terrible health affliction.