A malignant tumour that starts in the cells of the breast, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women after skin cancer. One out of eight women will be diagnosed with some form of breast cancer at a point in their life.
It is thus important to undertake preventive measures to prevent breast cancer, such as undergoing regular mammograms and checks to ensure that breast cancer is caught in its early stages.
Recognising the signs of breast cancer is also crucial in early detection.
Signs of Breast Cancer
- Lumps in the breast
- Nipple discharge
- Change in appearance of breast or nipple
- Change in feeling of breast and nipple
Aside from going for regular checks and mammograms, doing self-examinations at home is also useful. For example, palpating your breasts to feel for lumps is a useful method of detecting possible malignant tumours.
While breast cancer is sometimes hereditary, many women want to know how to prevent breast cancer that is avoidable.
- Control your weight
The risk of cancer increases when you are overweight or obese. So watch your diet and exercise regularly to keep your weight within a healthy range.
- Avoid hormone therapy
While hormone therapy may sometimes be recommended, particularly in treating menopausal women, long-term hormone therapy increases the risk of breast cancer. If hormone therapy is, however, necessary, go for the lowest dosage possible.
- Breast Feed
Women who breast-feed for longer than a year have a lower breast cancer risk. This is because producing milk prevents breast cells from misbehaving, and also because women who breastfeed tend to consume more nutritious food.
Reference
http://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause/about-hormone-replacement.aspx
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/breast_self-exam/article_em.htm