10 Things You Always Wanted To Know About Breast Cancer
But were Afraid to ask :)
1. What are my chances of getting breast cancer?
According to Executive Director of the National Cancer Society Malaysia, one in 19 Malaysian women have a lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. That’s calculated by a mind-bogglingly complicated formula based on current figures and the percent-ages of women of different generations who get the disease.
According to the Second Report Of the National Cancer Registry, Cancer Incidence In Malaysia 2003, breast cancer was the most common cancer in all ethnic groups and all age groups and all age groups in females from the age of 15 years. The age pattern in 2003 showed a peak age specific incidence rate at 50-59 age group in Malays, Chinese, and Indians, and the rates then declined in the older age groups.
2. If my mum has had breast cancer, am I doomed to get it too?
Not at all. Information Nurse Specialist at the charity Breast Cancer Care says: “While women whose mothers had breast cancer may be at a higher than average risk, this doesn’t guarantee they will develop the disease.” Executive Director of the National Cancer Society Malaysia confirms this and estimates that only 10 to 15 percent of breast cancer cases are hereditary in Malaysia. In these small number of cases the women carry mutations to a couple of specific genes.
But even if your mother is a carrier of a relevant defective gene, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are also guaranteed to be a carrier of it too. That’s because we inherit genes from both our parents, so it’s still 20-20 as to whether you will get these particular genes. It is possible to have genetic screening to find out whether you do carry them, and if you do, then you will probably be monitored closely. If you are concerned about this, speak to your GP, who will have been through some fairly recent training about the options available to you.
3. Hoe do you know if you’ve got it?
Flinding a lump that turns out to be malignant is obviously the most common way, but this isn’t the only sign of breast cancer says Information Nurse Specialist at the charity Breast Cancer Care. “You should also check for any changes to or discharge from your nipples, any puckering or dimpling of the skin, thickening of the breast or constant pain in one part of the breast or armpit.” The best way to be sure is to be what the experts now call “breast aware” which simply means getting to know your boobs a bit better. The days of being told to check in a very specific way are gone, as women were just put off doing it for themselves. Now the advice is just to try and get used to how your breasts feel.
A good time to do it might be while you’re all soapy in the shower or bath. Breasts will feel different at different times of the month, so it’s a good idea to get used to checking at different times so you are aware of how they may change. But if you do find anything you are concerned about: “Never worry about making an unnecessary fuss with your GP,” adds Information Nurse Specialist at the charity Breast Cancer Care. Generally, nine out of 10 breast lumps turn out to be benign, but it’s always worth checking to be on the safe side.
Continued On 10 Things You Always Wanted To Know About Breast Cancer - Part 2
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[...] Continued From 10 Things You Always Wanted To Know About Breast Cancer [...]
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