Early Diagnosis & Treatment of Breast Cancer
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer besides lung cancer worldwide. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, and starts growth in the breast tissue. Breast cancer can be removed surgically by a mastectomy or a lumpectomy procedure, or it can be treated using hormone therapy, radiotherapy, radiology, or chemotherapy. Radiation can also minimize the recurrence of breast cancer by about half. Breast cancer is generally diagnosed with surgical incision or fine-needle aspiration. Usually, however, most individuals discover they have breast cancer by doing frequent lump screenings in the home.
Early Symptoms of Breast Cancer
The first symptom and usually a symptom that can be discovered by the patient in his or her own home is a lump in the breast tissue. It is important to conduct self breast exams as instructed by your doctor. Lumps in the armpits may also be an early sign of breast cancer. This is because the lymph nodes may swell up if cancerous cells are near or inside of them. Lymph nodes swell at any sign of infection, however, so just because you are experiencing swollen lymph nodes does not necessarily mean you have breast cancer. Changes in the skin on and surrounding the breast may also be an early sign of breast cancer. If your breast feels hot to the touch, swollen, painful, or the skin around the breast is swollen and painful, see a doctor and tell him or her that you are concerned about your breast health. Your doctor may decide to do a bone scan test or a chest x-ray to see if there is anything unusual inside your breast.
Early Treatment of Breast Cancer
Early stage breast cancer is considered to be stages one and two of breast cancer. Your doctor will probably want you to undergo at the very least, a lumpectomy if you are in stage one or two. If he or she feels your breast cancer is moving rapidly or needs more preventative measures, he or she will suggest a mastectomy, either partial or full, in one or both breasts. Although it is ultimately up to you to decide the treatment you feel will be best for your body, women have been recently opting to get radical mastectomies to prevent the cancer from spreading to another part of the breast in the future. Doctors may recommend any number of surgery options in conjunction with radiology, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or hormone therapy.
Tags: breast cancer, Breast cancer, your breast, Treatment Breast, Treatment Breast Cancer, also early, also early sign
