Breast cancer is the commonest cancer in women
and is most common in post- menopausal women. The first sign of breast cancer
that is usually noticed is a lump in the breast and/or a swollen lymph node in
the armpit. In addition, there may be a change in the usual appearance of the
breast or a puckering of skin in the region of the nipple. The breast may feel
uncomfortable and there may be a discharge from the nipple. Most breast lumps are
not serious but a woman who detect a lump should seek medical attention.
Treatment
involves surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy and sometimes a combination of
all three. Sometimes it is possible to remove a lump alone (a lumpectomy) but
in other cases the whole breast has to be removed along with the lymph nodes
under the arm. The degree of surgery depends on the size of the cancer and the
extent to which it has spread.
The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown
but some women are more at risk of developing the disease than others. There is
a greater risk if a family member (especially a mother, aunt or sister) has had
breast cancer or if the woman already has had benign breast tumors. Women who
have not had children, those over the age of 30 at the birth of their first
child, those who have not breastfed their babies and those who smoke are also
at risk.
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