3 Causes And 13 Treatments Of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the type of cancer tumor that affects the breast. It
mostly affect women and comparatively rare in men. Like other cancer
cells, it bypassed normal growth signals by multiplying and invading
other tissue if not treated early. Despite medical advances, breast
cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women. The following
are the major causes of cancer in women.

Risk factors for breast cancer

Hereditary
5 to 10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary as the patients are
born with the faulty gene that causes cells to divide furiously,
attack other tissue, escape capture by immune cells thus leading to
breast cancer. Also, about 1 out of 10 breast cancer cases is known to
run in families.

Outside factors
Many cases are caused by healthy genes being damaged by outside agents
such as radiation and chemicals.

Hormones
Certain hormones seem to stimulate certain breast cancer. The
following hormones may influence the development of breast cancer.
Estrogen
A woman's risk of developing breast cancer id high if she began
menstruating earlier than normal or have a very late menopause.
Obesity may increase the risk of developing breast cancer because fat
cells produce estrogen especially in post menopausal women.
Insulin
People with diabetes ( caused by the inability of the pancreas to
produce insulin ) may have a cause for relief because high levels of
the hormone insulin can even stimulate the growth of breast cancer.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a sleep hormone that help us to have a sound sleep at
night, but low levels of this hormone in the body can stimulate the
growth of breast cancer.
Age
Some 75 percent of breast cancer cases are in women above 50 years.
Thus, risk increases with age.

Treatment for breast cancer
The best treatments for breast cancer are preventive diets and early
detection. Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer. When cancer
is early detected it can be confined to the organ it initially started
from and then can be perfectly removed or cured. But if the treatment
is not commenced early due to late detection, it can spread to other
area of the breast as well as to other vital organs of the body.
Making oneself available for screening procedures also called regular
checkup can lead to early detection of cancer while increasing the
chance of getting cured.

Common method of treating breast cancer is through the use of surgical
operation to eliminate the cancerous cells.
Along with surgery, many patients have additional treatments such as
chemotherapy, which is the use of special drugs to kill or destroy the
cancer cells around the initial site and throughout the body.
Another effective method is the use of radiation ( radiotherapy ) to
tackle cancer cells.
Other methods are hormonal therapy, lympectomy etc.

Lifestyles that can help in the treatment of breast cancer

1. Eat well to boost your immune system

2. Have sufficient rest but avoid long periods in bed as it may
increase fatigue.

3. Watch your body reactions to foods

4. Bathe in warm water

5. Use proper medications to reduce pain and nausea

6. Exercise moderately after consultation with your doctor for a
fitting exercise.

7. Keep your skin moist

8. Wear loose clothing

9. Learn about breast cancer

10. Choose competent doctors and follow their instructions.

11. Learn from the experience of other cancer patients

12. Don't be anxious

13. Expect to spend a long period probably a year or more on treatment
and recovery

Not all strange lump are cancerous as about 80 percent of lumps in the
breast area are just fluid-filled sacks called cysts.
But women should always watch for the following symptoms around their
breast and lymph nodes.
· A change in texture or skin color
· A strange discharge from the nipple
· A strange pushed-in nipple
· A lump/thickening in the breast or armpit.

Hope for breast cancer patients
Doctors affirmed that breast cancer is one of the most treatable
cancers. There are survivors ranging from 20 to 25 years after
treatment who are still alive and well. The important point is early
detection and treatment.