CEREBRAL’S CONTENTS

ANO NGA BA ANG BREAST CANCER?

Cancer is a disease of the body’s cells.  Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts in breast tissue.  There are several types of breast cancer.  They all begin in milk ducts and/or the milk lobules.

 

SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER

Among 90% of women, breast cancer is first noticed as a lump in the breast.  Here are some signs to be aware of:

*BREAST

- Pagbabago sa hugis or laki ng dibdib

- Dimpling of the skin

- Lump o pangangapal ng breast

 

*NIPPLE

- Blood-stained discharge (very rare)

- Rash sa nipple or sorrounding area (very rare)

- Nipple becomes inverted (turned in)

- Lump or thickening

 

*ARM

- Pamamaga sa kili-kili

- Pain in your breast is not usually a symptom of breast cancer.  In fact, many healthy women find their breasts feel lumpy and tender before a period.  Some types of benign breast lumps are painful.

 

FACTORS THAT CAN INCREASE YOUR RISK

*BEING OLDER

Higit sa kalahati ng mga kababaihang na-diagnose with cancer are over 50.  However, there is an increasing trend of women being diagnosed at an earlier age, particularly during their late 30s or early 40s.

*FAMILY HISTORY

Having a close relative, like a mother, sister or daughter who was diagnosed with breast cancer, can increase your risk.

*NOT HAVING CHILDREN

Mataas ang risk ng pagkakaroon ng breast cancer if a woman does not bear children.

*A LATE FIRST PREGNANCY

Ang isang babae na nabuntis para sa kanyang unang anak in her thirties is 63% more likely to develop breast cancer before menopause and 53% more likely to develop the disease kumpara sa babaeng nagkaroon ng kanyang unang anak at the age of 22.

*BREASTFEEDING

Breastfeeding helps protect against breast cancer.  Habang tumatagal na ang isang babae ay nagbi-breastfeed sa kanyang mga anak, the more she lowers her risk of developing the disease.

*ALCOHOL

Regularly drinking large amounts of alcohol slightly increases the risk of breast cancer.

*PERIODS

Hormones play an important role in the development of breast cancer.  Ang mga babae na nagsimulang magkaroon ng menstruation habang bata pa (before 12) or stop later than usual (after 55) are more likely to develop the disease.

*OVERWEIGHT

Being overweight after menopause increases the risk of breast cancer.  Being 10 kilograms overweight increases the risk by 80%.

*HEREDITARY

A small number of women are at especially high risk because of faulty genes they have inherited.  However, faults in known high-risk breast cancer genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 account for fewer than 1 in 20 breast cancer cases.

*RADIATION

Long-term exposure to radiation, or moderate to high levels of exposure, increases the risk of breast cancer.

 

NOTE:  Men with family history of breast cancer have 1% of having breast cancer.

**I would like to thank once again GROOVE, GEK Team and GOOD EVENING KABAYAN on AM864**