🎀 National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

🎀National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed in October 2018. Breast Cancer Awareness
Month, is an annual International health campaign organized by mayor breast cancer charities
every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into it's cause,
prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.

A variety of events around the world are organized in October, including walks and runs, and
the pink illumination of landmark buildings. In the United States, the National Football League
promotes breast cancer awareness by incorporating pink on and off the field, and comic strip
artist use pink on one day in October.

Breast cancer is a type of cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining
of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carainomas, while those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas.

🎀The Facts:

Thanks to largely stable incidence rates, improved treatment,  as well as earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, a woman's risk of dying of breast cancer dropped 39 percent between the late 1980s and 2015, translating into more than 300,000 breast cancer deaths avoided during that time.

Despite that progress, there's much more to be done. Breast cancer is still the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, second only to lung cancer. There is still a large racial gap in mortality, with African-American women having higher death rates compared to whites, even as incidence rates are similar.

 🎀Risk factors:

• Numerous studies have confirmed that alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer in women by about 7%-10% for each one drink of alcohol consumed per day on average. Women who have 2-3 alcoholic drinks per day have a 20 percent higher risk of breast cancer compared to non-drinkers.
• Obesity increases the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Risk is about 1.5 times higher in overweight women and about 2 times higher in obese women than in lean women.
• Growing evidence suggests that women who get regular physical activity have a 10%-25% lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who are inactive, with stronger evidence for postmenopausal than premenopausal women
• Limited but accumulating research indicates that smoking may slightly increase breast cancer risk, particularly long-term, heavy smoking and among women who start smoking before their first pregnancy.

If you or someone you love are concerned about developing breast cancer, has been recently diagnosed, are going through treatment, or are trying to stay well after treatment, the American Cancer Society provides important information on these topics and more.

Breast cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point.

The good news is that most women can survive breast cancer if it’s found and treated early. A mammogram — the screening test for breast cancer — can help find breast cancer early, when it’s easier to treat.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a great time to spread the word about breast cancer screening.

Breast cancer awareness month is a yearly campaign that intend educate people about the importance of early screening, test and more. This campaign starts on October 1st and ends on October 31st every year.

• actors have been identified.
• There are many different types of breast cancer.
• Breast cancer symptoms and signs include
  • a lump in the breast or armpit,
  • bloody nipple discharge,
  • inverted nipple,
  • orange-peel texture or dimpling of the breast's skin,
  • breast pain or sore nipple,
  • swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpit, and
  • a change in the size or shape of the breast or nipple.
  • Breast cancer can also be symptom-free, which makes following national screening recommendations an important practice.
  • Medical professionals diagnose breast cancer during a physical exam, by a self-exam of the breasts, mammography, ultrasound testing, and biopsy.
  • Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type of cancer and its stage (0-IV) and may involve surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
  • 🎀WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
  • If you find a lump or other change in your breast — even if a recent mammogram was normal — make an appointment with your doctor for prompt evaluation.
  • Making changes in your daily life may help reduce your risk of breast cancer. Try to:
    • 🎀Ask your doctor about breast cancer screening. Discuss with your doctor when to begin breast cancer screening exams and tests, such as clinical breast exams and mammograms.
      Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of screening. Together, you can decide what breast cancer screening strategies are right for you.
    • 🎀Become familiar with your breasts through breast self-exam for breast awareness. Women may choose to become familiar with their breasts by occasionally inspecting their breasts during a breast self-exam for breast awareness. If there is a new change, lumps or other unusual signs in your breasts, talk to your doctor promptly.
      Breast awareness can't prevent breast cancer, but it may help you to better understand the normal changes that your breasts undergo and identify any unusual signs and symptoms.
    • Preventive medications (chemoprevention). Estrogen-blocking medications, such as selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors, reduce the risk of breast cancer in women with a high risk of the disease.
    • These medications carry a risk of side effects, so doctors reserve these medications for women who have a very high risk of breast cancer. Discuss the benefits and risks with your doctor.
    • Preventive surgery. Women with a very high risk of breast cancer may choose to have their healthy breasts surgically removed (prophylactic mastectomy). They may also choose to have their healthy ovaries removed (prophylactic oophorectomy) to reduce the risk of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer. 
    • 🎀Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than one drink a day, if you choose to drink.
    • 🎀Exercise most days of the week. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. If you haven't been active lately, ask your doctor whether it's OK and start slowly.
    • 🎀Breast cancer risk reduction for women with a high risk
    • If your doctor has assessed your family history and determined that you have other factors, such as a precancerous breast condition, that increase your risk of breast cancer, you may discuss options to reduce your risk, such as:
    • Preventive medications (chemoprevention). Estrogen-blocking medications, such as selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors, reduce the risk of breast cancer in women with a high risk of the disease.
    • These medications carry a risk of side effects, so doctors reserve these medications for women who have a very high risk of breast cancer. Discuss the benefits and risks with your doctor.
    • Preventive surgery. Women with a very high risk of breast cancer may choose to have their healthy breasts surgically removed (prophylactic mastectomy). They may also choose to have their healthy ovaries removed (prophylactic oophorectomy) to reduce the risk of both breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
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      • Blogger: Egypt Assanti
      • {aka Big Sister Southern Heat
      • ESD Baroness