breast cancer

what is breast cancer ?

Breast cancer refers to cancers 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 carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas. There are many different types of breast cancer, with different stages (spread), aggressiveness, and genetic makeup; survival varies greatly depending on those factors.

Worldwide, breast cancer comprises 10.4% of all cancer incidence among women.

Mammograms showing a normal breast (left) and a breast cancer (right).

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Breast cancer : On Rise............

It may well be a wake-up call for all as breast cancer is rapidly becoming the number one cancer in the country(India), pushing the cervical cancer to the second spot and even men are not excluded from this scenario. Also, while the latter can be prevented , breast cancer can not be prevented in majority of cases, leaving its early detection the only way to cure the deadly cancer.

While the recent figures of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had reported that one in 22 women in the country is likely to suffer from breast cancer during her life time , a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has projected that the country would witness around 2,50,000 new cases of deadly cancer by 2015.

It is to be mentioned here that through the discerning figures are enough to indicate the gravity of the situation, the lack of awareness for prevalence as well as early detection of the breast cancer especially in the rural areas, according to the experts at Banaras Hindu University.

Another problem with preventing breast cancer is that there is no single case can be pinpointed for its existence. Therefore it has become important to spread awareness of the prevalence of the cancer and advice women on undertaking self-breast examination(SEB)

One of the major problem associated with the diagnosis the of the breast cancer is that it usually does not cause pain or show any symptoms in its early stage .Even, the lump in the breast does not cause pain and women unusually do not bother about this lump.

Although facts say that only 10 % of breast lumps are cancerous, but even then consulting a doctor is an inevitable exercise. Early detection is still the best way of curing breast cancer. Once detected, it can be cured by surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormonal treatment.


EARLY DETECTION TECHNIQUES

1. Self-breast examination (SBE) that involves detecting lump in the breast and consulting the doctor.
2. Physical examination by the doctor, also called palpation.
3. Thermography, involves detection through temperature and heat variations.
4. Mammography and ultrasound, exposure to radiation involving technical equipment of high standard.
5. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology(FNAC) and biopsy.