PSA--Your Breasts and You

You're in your 20's or early 30s and have neglected to see a OB-GYN? You know you should, but you keep putting it off because there's other things more important. Well, if you haven't gone..please go. Just in my house alone of 5 girls between the ages of 25 and 30, 2 of the girls had to have a mammogram and one had a needle biopsy yesterday. We're not exactly the largest pool, but if you haven't been to an OB-GYN for a pap smear or a checkup ever...please get yourself checked it. Its better knowing that everythings normal than having that nagging feeling of not knowing, ya know?

Here's some quick facts about what every (young) woman should know about Breast Cancer:

1) Breast Cancer Increases With Age: Even though 1 out of 19,608 women by age 25 develop breast cancer, 1 out 0f 2,525 women by age 30 get it and 1 out of 622 women by age 35 get it. Ever? 1 out of 8 women get breast cancer ever. Those are statistics that are sobering and real enough that be aware of risk factors and how to do a breast exam.

2) Be Bosom Buddies with your breasts: All women should perform monthly breast exams by the age of 20. Yup, age 20. I had no idea. Here's how to do it:

You’ll need to stand in front of the mirror (topless), put your hands on your waist and rotate, examining the side profile of each breast. Then you should raise your arms, looking for small abnormalities such as a slight indentation or flattened curve of one breast when compared to the other. You should do this self-exam while standing in front of a mirror, while lying down, and while in the shower. After examining yourself, you should then begin to look for changes or other warning signs such as:
Any new lump or hard knot found in the breast or armpit
Any lump or thickening that does not shrink or lessen after menstruation
A thickening or swelling of the breast
Any dimpling, puckering or indention in the breast
Dimpling, skin irritation or other change in the breast skin or nipple
Redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin
Nipple discharge (fluid coming from the nipples other than breast milk), particularly if the discharge is bloody, clear and sticky, dark, or occurs without squeezing the nipple
Nipple tenderness or pain
Nipple retraction: turning or drawing inward or pointing in a new direction
Any breast change that may be cause for concern

If you notice any breast changes or abnormalities, alert your physician. 60% of lumps in women who are in their reproductive years are benign, but you still should get it checked out. In addition, women between the ages of 20 and 39 should receive clinical breast exams (by a health care professional) at least every three years. Beginning at age 40, all women should having yearly mammograms (x-rays), yearly clinical breast exams, and practice monthly breast self-exams. Early detection, early detection, early detection. It could save your life.

3) Know the Risk Factors: I come from a family that's pretty open about medical history etc, but I had no idea what my maternal side's breast cancer health history was up until a few weeks ago. I knew I had one aunt who had a masectomy but I had no idea who else had it and how old they were. Don't be as dumb as me, know your risk factors.

Age: breast cancer risk increases with age.

Genetics: recent studies have shown that up to 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary.

Personal history: women who have had breast cancer in one breast are three to four times as likely to develop breast cancer in the opposite breast than women who have never had breast cancer.

Family history: if a woman’s blood-related relatives on either her mother or father’s side of the family have had breast cancer, then she is at increased risk for the disease. Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer can double a woman’s risk.

Previous breast biopsy showing benign conditions: women who have previously had breast biopsies showing benign (non-cancerous) conditions such as lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) or atypical hyperplasia (AH) may have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer. These conditions are characterized by a sharp increase in the number of breast cells. Women with fibrocystic breasts are not at increased risk for breast cancer.

Menstrual periods: women who begin menstruating at an early age (before age 12) and those who reach menopause after age 50 have an increased risk of breast cancer.

Delayed childbirth: women who have their first child after age 30 or who never have a child are at a higher risk for develop breast cancer.

Alcohol: studies show that drinking alcohol on a daily basis increases breast cancer risk. A recent study on alcohol and breast cancer revealed that women who consume two to five alcoholic beverages each day were found to have a 41% increased risk of developing invasive breast cancer compared to women who don’t drink.

Smoking: smoking increases a woman’s chance of developing several types of cancer, including breast cancer.

Diet: there is a much higher incidence of breast cancer in areas with high fat diets (such as the United States) than areas with low-fat diets (such as Japan).

Weight: the link between weight and not fitting into that too-tight suede skirt you bought on sale is a known fact, while the link between weight and breast cancer risk is not. Several new studies suggest that overweight (obese) women who gained weight as adults are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer, but women who have been overweight since childhood are not at any significantly higher risk.

Previous radiation therapy: women whose breasts have been exposed to radiation therapy during childhood are at higher risk of developing breast cancer, especially if radiation was used to treat Hodgkin’s disease. Generally, the younger the woman was exposed to radiation, the greater the risk that she will develop breast cancer.

http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth101/breasthealth.html