Breast cancer is a type of cancer that develops in the breast when cells start to outgrow. It can start in one or both breasts. It is important to spread breast cancer awareness in women because breast lumps may be benign and not malignant. In some cases, women develop benign lumps which don’t grow outside the breast. They are not harmful, but there are a few types of benign lumps that can increase women’s exposure to risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer awareness is important so that if a breast lump is felt by a woman, she can immediately contact a doctor before it’s too late.
Breast cancer can develop in different parts of the breast. There is left and right breast and each of them have glands, ducts, and fatty tissue. Breast makes and supplies milk to feed newborns and infants. Due to the lack of breast cancer awareness, it’s rapidly growing in women all over the world. In 2020 about 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 685000 deaths were recorded globally. In the U.S. breast cancer is one of the main causes of cancer-causing death. On average,13% of women in the U.S. are at risk of developing breast cancer sometime in their life.
Risk Factors:
When it comes to risk factors of breast cancer there are several risk factors involved.
1. Aging:
Aging is one of the main risk factors of breast cancer besides sex because one has more chances of having breast cancer with increasing age. Breast cancer is developed mostly in women of age 50 or above. According to a study conducted in 2016, approximately 99.3% and 71.2% of breast cancer-associated deaths were reported in women aged between 40 and 60, respectively in America. It is necessary to keep a check through mammography screening on women above 40.
2. Family History:
About ¼ of patients with breast cancer have a family history of disease. Women, whose family had a history of having breast cancer are more prone to this disease. According to a study, about 113,000 women in the UK who had first-degree relatives with breast cancer have a 1.75-fold higher risk of developing this disease than those who don’t have affected relatives.
3. Reproductive Factors:
Several studies have suggested a relationship between endogenous hormones estrogen and progesterone in particular and their effect on the higher risk of females getting breast cancer. Some specific events like pregnancy, menstruation, breastfeeding, and menopause play an important role in the induction of breast cancer. Women who are infertile or have children after the age of 30 are more prone to developing breast cancer because of breast tissues being exposed to estrogen for longer periods.
Those women who conceive at a younger age are at low risk of developing breast cancer. Also, menstruating before turning 12 or having late menopause (55 or later) will increase the risk of developing breast cancer. For those women who breastfed for about a year or more their risk of having breast cancer will be reduced.
4. Use Of Alcohol:
Research shows that women who drink a glass of alcohol a day her risk of having breast cancer than those who drink moderately or do not drink at all.
5. Lifestyle Choices:
People with modern lifestyles are at risk of developing breast cancer. Consumption of alcohol and excessive smoking can elevate the incidence of breast cancer. Consuming a lot of alcohol can increase estrogen-related hormones in the blood and trigger estrogen receptor pathways.
Diet is also very crucial when it comes to breast cancer awareness because the modern diet contains excessive fat and this much fat intake, more precisely saturated fat, relates to poor prognosis in breast cancer patients.
6. Ethnicity:
White women are at higher risk of developing breast cancer than any other form of cancer. They are more likely to develop this disease as compared to black women. Black women who are 45 years old or younger are more prone to develop this disease and are more likely to develop a severe form of breast cancer which is fatal.
Biological and health conditions can be the reason for survival differences between women of these ethnicities. women who are Indian natives or belong to Asian ethnicity have lesser chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Signs & Symptoms:
A few common symptoms of breast cancer include.
1. Formation of a breast lump:
The most noticeable symptom of breast cancer in all patients is the formation of a lump in the breast or in the underarm area which doesn’t go away. Doctors identify it with the help of mammographic screening.
2. Swelling in the armpit:
Armpit or collarbone swelling is also observed as a sign of breast cancer in most patients which indicates that cancer has already spread towards lymph nodes in that particular area. Swelling could be there even before the formation of a lump.
3. Change in breast size:
Most people notice changes in the size of their breasts as a sign of breast cancer. If the size of your breast changes suddenly without any obvious reason then it could be a sign of breast cancer. Gradual increase in the size of both breasts could be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer which is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. So, if any of the above symptoms are observed then one needs to visit a doctor immediately.
4. Change in skin color:
Breast cancer can also cause skin color to change and make it appear discolored or inflamed. It can appear red on white or pale skin and in people of color, the skin may appear brownish or reddish-brownish. It is suggested to visit a doctor if any change appears in skin color.
5. Epidemiology:
Breast cancer being the most common malignant tumor in women across the world accounts for 36% of patients being diagnosed with this disease. In 2018 about 2.089 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer. The ratio of this disease is increasing in women of all ethnicities at a rapid rate, but the highest incidence is recorded in the most modernized countries.
About half of the women who have this disease are mostly from developed countries and the reason is the modernized lifestyle along with the poor diet and excessive stress. Even though, there has been great research on the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, still a cause of death of million women around the globe.
Conclusion:
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that mostly develops in women aged 50-69 years and is the leading cause of death of millions of women worldwide. It mainly develops in women who are in their postmenopausal phase due to various factors including lifestyle, age, ethnicity, and family or reproductive history. Even, though breast cancer is growing gradually there is a lack of awareness in women regarding this disease.
Breast cancer awareness is very important to get a hold of the increasing ratio of this disease and in this context, the most important thing is to spread awareness about the risk factors that are mentioned above. Especially, lifestyle change is a key factor in breast cancer awareness as well as proper diet and sleep schedule because if these things are intact then it is possible to avoid this disease to a large extent.
Also, women who are post-40 must opt for mammographic screening because it will help in the early diagnosis of disease if there are any signs and symptoms. Basic health education is very important for spreading awareness among women of all age groups because it will develop a sense of responsibility at an individual level to take care of one’s health and it can be conducted through online health blogs as well as seminars and several social media platforms. Overall, it is necessary to take preventive measures to spread awareness about breast cancer.