The 10 Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Breast Cancer

Organs are made up of cells in an orderly manner, divided and replacing older ones. When this process is altered, uncontrolled division leads to the appearance of a lump or tumor.

Benign breast tumors are formed by cells that divide excessively though not damaged or may occur to invade other parts of the body. Malignant tumors are cells without control and can also destroy neighboring tissues and organs and proliferate in other parts of the body (metastasis).

In the initial or preclinical phase, there are no symptoms. It is later when it can manifest in various ways. On the one hand, the presence of a palpable nodule, painful or not, is the most common symptom. When enlarged, it can manifest irregularities in the contour of the breast, nipple retraction or skin changes (redness, ulcers…). So, check out  The 10 Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Breast Cancer: 

1. 90% of Women With Breast Cancer Have No Family History:  This is one of the most shocking Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Breast Cancer : Most women who develop this tumor don’t have anyone in their family with the same problem. This is the most common type of cancer among women in the world and in Brazil, after non-melanoma skin cancer, accounting for about 25% of new cases each year. In 2016 alone, the Inca (National Cancer Institute) predicts 57,960 new cases in Brazil.

Swellings or Tumors in the Breasts or Armpits, Which Usually Don’t Produce Pain:  This type of symptom can be identified with a breast self-exam and also with a mammogram. It is not in all cases that swelling or tumor will be a Cancer . That’s why it’s important to see a doctor right away, so he can make the correct diagnosis.

Early Menstruation:  The relationship between menstruation and Breast Cancer is among The Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Breast Cancer, due to the fact that it is at the beginning of this period that a woman’s body begins to produce greater amounts of the hormone Estrogen . This hormone in altered amounts facilitates the disordered proliferation of breast cells, resulting in a tumor.

The more intense and lasting the action of the hormone on breast cells, the greater the likelihood of a tumor. If the first period occurs around 9 or 10 years of age, it is because the ovaries intensified the production of the hormone early and, thus, the body will be exposed to Estrogen for a longer time throughout life.

Late Menopause:  The logic in this case is the same as in the case above – while menstruation does not stop, the ovaries continue to produce Estrogen , leaving the mammary glands more exposed to disordered cell growth.

Spontaneous Fluid Leakage from the Nipples: Fluid leakage  from the nipples also happens outside the breastfeeding period. Making breast milk outside of the lactation phase is called galactorrhea. Secretions in the breasts can be related to functional alterations or disorders of various origins, but if they occur only in one of the breasts, they can be related to several diseases and their appearance varies between milky, yellowish, light, black, dark green or mixed with blood. Any leakage or secretion should be carefully investigated. The doctor will evaluate the patient’s history and order tests that will verify the presence of cancer or not .

High Cholesterol:  Cholesterol is the fat that serves as a raw material for the manufacture of Estrogen . In this way, women who have high levels of cholesterol tend to produce this hormone in greater amounts, increasing the risk of breast cancer .

Being Overweight Increases Your Chances of Getting Breast Cancer by Over 40%:  According to a study cited by Health, women who gained 9 to 13 kg after age 18 have a higher risk of developing breast cancer after menopause . Among the doctors who participated in the magazine’s poll, 78% recommended that patients lose weight as a way to reduce the risk of developing the disease.

Invasive Tumor or Not:  A Non -Invasive Breast Cancer This is an important thing that every woman needs to know about breast cancer , also called in situ cancer, is one that is contained in some point of the breast, without spreading to other organs. – the membrane that covers the tumor does not break, and the cancer cells are concentrated inside that nodule. The invasive type happens when this membrane breaks and cancer cells invade other parts of the body. All breast cancer in situ has the potential to become an invader.

Small Tumors Don’t Cause Symptoms: Breast Cancer  is a very insidious disease, because in its early stages (when there is a better chance of cure), the most important Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Breast Cancer is that it has no symptoms (for this is the importance of mammography). Slightly larger tumors may or may not cause visual changes in the breasts.

So, during the self-examination, pay attention to palpable nodules (lumps), bloody discharge from the nipples, changes (swells) in the armpits, rough skin and undulations (orange peel appearance, cellulite type), deformations or changes in the shape of the breasts, bulges or retractions and sores around the nipple. But remember: finding any of these signs doesn’t mean you have Cancer , because there are other benign changes and nodules. Look for your gynecologist!

Implants Do Not Cause Breast Cancer:  In all studies that have been done, no relationship has been found that the silicone prosthesis causes Breast Cancer . However, this implant can make it difficult to diagnose the disease in mammograms.

Nipple Changes:  If you don’t have any birth defects in your nipples and you notice that your nipples have started to retract, get pulled in like a twisted glove finger, or thicken, whether or not you have pain, this could be a sign of a tumor. carcinogenic.

Greater Risks:  The risk of getting breast cancer increases for women who have not had children or who have not breastfed, for those who take hormone replacement during menopause for more than five years, for smokers and for those who consume alcoholic beverages.

Breast Cancer can affect both women and men, but the incidence is higher in women (99%) than in men (1%), so it is necessary to pay attention to these Things that every woman needs to know about breast cancer. Mama.