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*About 178,480 women were found to have invasive breast cancer in 2007. More than 40,000 died. However, it doesn't just strike women. More than 1,700 cases of breast cancer in men were diagnosed in 2007. The disease killed about 460 men.
In addition to the bright reds, oranges and yellows seen as the leaves turn this fall, PINK will be everywhere during October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
If I may take the liberty, I want to offer some insight that may be helpful in further empowering women (and men) with the ability to live healthy lives.
The breasts are organs of lactation called mammaries or mammae. They form the milk that provides sustenance to infants and small children. This is why “mammae” and Mama are such similar words and why the entire category of animals is called mammals.
The main components of the breast are lobules (milk-producing glands), ducts (milk passages that connect the lobules and the nipple), and stroma (fatty tissue and ligaments surrounding the ducts and lobules, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels).
Lymphatic vessels are similar to veins, except that they carry lymphatic fluid instead of blood. As the fluid passes through the nodes, harmful bacteria and viruses are removed. As many as 1,500 pea to bean-sized lymph nodes function as a network to filter lymphatic fluid throughout our entire body. Cancer cells can enter lymph vessels. Most lymphatic vessels of the breast lead to axillary (underarm) lymph nodes. If breast cancer cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes, they are more likely to have spread, even microscopically, to other organs of the body. This is why finding out whether breast cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes is important in selecting the best mode of treatment.
In normal tissue, the cells lining the duct are orderly and can be easily told apart. Sometimes, extra, normal appearing cells may accumulate. This is called hyperplasia. When the cells accumulating appear abnormal under the microscope, it is called atypical hyperplasia. Atypical hyperplasia is not cancer, but it does place a woman at a higher risk for developing breast cancer.
Some of the most common things you may hear about issues with breast health are:
LUMPS:
Most lumps are NOT breast cancer. Eight out of ten lumps are benign (not cancerous). A cyst is a lump which contains fluid.
Lumps may be sore, tender to touch, or painless. Sometimes you may have had a recent mammogram that was normal. Shortly afterwards, when doing your own breast self-exam you might feel a lump. Even though you recently had a mammogram, don't wait to contact your physician and discuss this situation.
Often, in order to be sure that a lump or other change in your breast is not breast cancer, you need to have some or the entire lump removed (a biopsy). Sometimes, a needle is inserted into the lump to see if fluid can be withdrawn. This is called a "needle aspiration" and may be done with local anesthesia in the doctor's office. A pathologist (a doctor who examines a biopsy under a microscope to determine if the tissue is normal or cancerous) will then be able to make a diagnosis.
Several million breast biopsies are performed each year. The only way to make sure a lump is not cancer is to remove a small piece of tissue from that lump and look at it under a microscope.
BENIGN BREAST MASSES:
Following a mammogram, you may learn that the lump is more likely to be benign, not malignant. Benign breast tumors are abnormal growths that have not spread outside of the breast to other organs. They are not life threatening. They are easily removed and usually do not come back.
MICROCALCIFICATIONS:
- Microcalcifications are very small specks of calcium that cannot be felt, but can be seen on a mammogram. They are formed by rapidly dividing cells.
- Microcalcifications might be an early sign of breast cancer, when they are clustered in one area of the breast.
- Microcalcifications can also be an indication of benign breast scar tissue. They can result from nursing or injury.
- Microcalcifications do not reflect excess calcium in one's body. Sometimes microcalcifications can point to a suspicious area which contains cancer cells. This requires biopsy and examination under the microscope.
The hopeful news is cancer is often a preventable disease. It can be avoided through not smoking, eating healthful foods, and exercising regularly, according to a study by Harvard School of Public Health. Nearly 70% of all cancer deaths can be attributed to smoking, eating and drinking habits, or a "sedentary lifestyle."
The cancer prevention plan: Eat whole foods including "5 (or more) fruits and vegetables a day," and eliminate or significantly reduce animal protein, animal fats, hydrogenated fats, processed foods containing additives, preservatives, or pesticides. Daily aerobic exercise and stretching increases circulation and helps the body eliminate toxins stored in our tissues. For individuals whose lifestyles have included smoking, excessive drinking, poor diets, and being sedentary, extra efforts need to be taken to restore the body to its fullest health.
Foods high in chlorophyll, vitamin A, vitamin E, selenium and vitamin C will significantly increase elimination of toxins and free radicals known to cause cellular changes that are the root of cancer and other degenerative diseases.
We have come a long way in addressing this epidemic of Breast Cancer. Yes, if you are diagnosed today, you have a greater chance of surviving cancer than you did a generation ago. But let's keep our definitions straight. Early detection is not prevention.
Let us keep vigilant, and always remember: Prevention involves looking at the underlying causes of this epidemic and doing what needs to be done to stop it.
Remember, I'm not a doctor. I just sound like one.
Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible!
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended, nor implied, to be a substitute for professional medical advice.
Glenn Ellis is a Health Advocacy Communications Specialist and author of, "Which Doctor?: What You Need To Know to be Healthy." For more good health information, visit: www.glennellis.com