The Basic Things You Should Know About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is considered one of the main causes of fatalities among women. Although breast cancer can also develop in men, it is more prevalent in women. Here are the basic things you should know about this condition:

Causes and Risk Factors

Many scientists widely believe that breast cancer is caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. However, there is no single identifiable cause for the condition. There are risk factors, though, that can increase the chances of a person to get breast cancer.

These risk factors include:

• being female
• getting older in age
• having a personal history or family history of breast cancer
• being obese
• being exposed to radiation through radiation treatment
• starting the menstrual period before reaching 12 years old
• starting menopause at an older age
• giving birth to a first-born after 30 years old
• never having been pregnant
• going through post-menopausal hormone therapy
• consuming alcohol

It is important to take note that many of those who have multiple risk factors never develop breast cancer. On the other hand, those who have no known risk factors, except being female, may develop this particular condition.

Symptoms

The following are symptoms of possible breast cancer:

• An inverted nipple
• Change in the shape, size or appearance of one or both breasts
• Changes in the skin surrounding the breasts
• A breast lump
• Crusting, flaking, peeling, or scaling of the skin area surrounding the nipple

If you find any of these symptoms, visit your doctor immediately for further tests. Detecting breast cancer as early as possible can help save lives.

Reducing Your Risk of Getting Breast Cancer

Anyone can do something to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Most of these actions revolve around lifestyle changes and constant health monitoring. You can follow these tips:

• Strive to live a healthy lifestyle. These include eating nutritious meals and being physically active. A healthy lifestyle will also help you maintain a healthy weight.
• Avoid any vice including smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
• Talk to your physician about the possible side effects of post-menopausal hormone therapy. Check if such therapy can be limited in duration.
• Consult your doctor about undergoing breast cancer screening, especially if you have a high risk of developing the condition.

At Lowenhill Home Care Services, we always make sure to lend a helping hand if you are in need of assistance at home, no matter what condition you may have. We’ll conduct an assessment to determine your specific needs, so call us today.