5 BREAST CANCER WARNING SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR

Breast cancer has become increasingly prevalent with the majority of deaths being reported from under-developed and developing countries owing to limited medical infrastructure. Special care should be dedicated to breasts for ensuring anything out of the ordinary is swiftly detected and can be consulted with certified medical professionals.

Identifying Breast Cancer

Early diagnosis of the disease is only possible by fully understanding breast cancer warning signs. While having their knowledge of is recommended for everyone, undergoing frequently scheduled mammograms and screening tests is just as important. These tests significantly improve breast cancer survival rate and enables doctors to reduce chances of cancerous progression.

Leading Causes

Breast cancer is caused by a wide variety of factors, among which the leading ones are mentioned below:

• Being overweight and refusing to improve lifestyle.
• Usage of tobacco and second hand smoking.
• Indulgence and abuse of alcohol.
• Unbalanced diet and poor nutrition.
• Being generally lazy.
• Hereditary characteristics.
• Sexually transmitted Human Papillomavirus Infection.
• Infections which are caused by hepatitis or similar diseases.
• Exposure to dangerous amounts of radiation.
• Living in a polluted environment.
• Long-term inhalation of smoke derived from fossil fuels.

5 Prominent Breast Cancer Warning Signs

Breast cancer usually manifests in the form of a foreign, solid, irregular mass in the breast which does not have any feeling. However, they can also be soft or smooth in feeling and cause pain upon physical contact or result in continued discomfort.

To protect one’s self against chances of breast cancer being diagnosed out of the blue, the following 7 warning signs endorsed by doctors can be actively referred:

1. Pain in the Chest and/or Breast Areas

Breast tumors have no reliable form and can appear as a single, solid mass or even as scattered, inter-connected clusters. The variable shapes can cause equally different sets of symptoms ranging from pain and swelling to continued discomfort and increased temperature. If the breasts are experiencing any type of uncomfortable feelings, consult your doctor immediately.

2. Increased Itchiness

More than often, itchy breasts are ignored which are the most noticeable symptoms for inflammatory breast cancer. Since the desire to scratch is confused as being a dermatological issue, patients often end up with improper diagnosis and rash related medication. Since inflammatory cancer spreads rapidly, the breast cancer survival rate in such scenarios is just 34 percent over a 5-year duration. If itchiness on the breasts persists, be confident in seeking the consultancy of an oncologist experienced in dealing breast cancer cases.

3. Continuous Pain in the Back, Neck and Shoulders

Breast cancer rapidly moves towards the back, neck and shoulders where it can easily spread in the bones. While general breast cancer survival rates are at 75 percent, they immediately drop to just 8.3 percent once the cancer has progressed to the bones. This pain is characterized by being felt directly in the bones instead of muscles and is unceasing in nature despite physiotherapy.

4. Unnatural Changes in Breast Size, Shape and Looks

Carefully examine your breasts on a regular basis to check whether there have been any changes in their shape, color and general look. In case of dense breasts, checking becomes even more important since the mammograms have a 50 percent miss rate in such cases.

5. Swelling in the Breasts

Inflammatory breast cancer is characterized by swelling and increased temperature of the breasts. The color may even change from being purple to bright red and a feeling of continuous soreness can be felt.

Getting Diagnosed

Breast cancer survival rates for Stage IV cases is at just 22 percent, so understanding symptoms is imperative for early diagnosis and avoiding complications. By keeping these 5 breast cancer warning signs under consideration, not only can it be detected early but treatment be initiated on a timely basis for maximizing recovery.