Breast Cancer: Check Yourself

Studies show that  one in eight women in the United States will receive a diagnosis of breast cancer in their lifetime, and it is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women.  We know we have been slacking a little on our health posts. So here is a little information for you to ponder.   (Men listen up too because this affects your women and you can’t be too educated.)

Young Black premenopausal women may suffer from the most aggressive and leathal forms of breast cancer around.  While black women suffer far less from the disease than other races, when breast cancer strikes young black women it can be one  the most aggressive and difficult forms of  cancer to treat.   So, in short, black women may be less likely to develop breast cancer but may be the least likely to survive an attack.

Surprise Surprise,  biology may have a large part to do with why breast cancer is deadlier for black women under age 55 than found in their white counter parts.    Since 1990, the average annual breast cancer death rate for younger black women in the United States has been 15.4 deaths per 100,000 population, versus 9.3 per 100,000 for younger white women.

A study released in June by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., helps explain the disparity: It showed that breast tumors in African American women tend to grow faster and be more aggressive than those of white women, containing abnormal amounts of proteins that control how quickly a cancer cell divides.

The good news – when treated or discovered early, black women have the same recovery outcomes as those of white women.   The problem, as we are well aware, is that women who fall in the lower income brackets recieve low-quality health care.   According to reports issued in 2000 by The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, nearly 40 percent of the uninsured have no regular source of health care, and uninsured women are over 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer.    Additionally, Black women historically have been screened less for breast cancer than other women, contributing to higher mortality rates.  So, the bottom line, is know your family history and get tested.

Stay Informed –

Inspect both your mother and father’s family trees- mutations in breast cancer can be passed along by men as well as women

Know the Symptoms and Check for Early Symptoms – The majority of breast cancers present themselves as a lump in the breast. That said, not all lumps in the breast are cancerous. And, not all breast cancer lumps can be felt. Sometimes they’re too small to feel; sometimes they’re positioned in a spot that makes them nearly impossible to feel.  Mammograms are a key diagnostic tool for breast cancer; they can detect size, location, and opacity of the lump. Late childbearing (30’s) and no breast feeding can also contribute to a breast cancer diagnosis. 

 A swollen, red, hot breast is the chief symptom of a rare but aggressive breast cancer IBC.

Other Symptoms

• A thickening in the breast or armpit.
• A change in the size or shape of the breast.
• Changes in the skin of the breast, such as a dimple or skin that looks like an orange peel.
• A change in the nipple, such as scaling of the skin or a nipple that turns in.
• A green or bloody fluid that comes from the nipple.
• A change in the color or feel of the skin around the nipple (areola).

About 1% of breast cancer occurs in men. Although most men diagnosed with breast cancer are older than 65, the disease can appear in younger men. For this reason, any breast lump in an adult male is considered abnormal.⁷

Eat Right and Exercise – increasing dark, leafy green vegetables and a wide range of other vegetables, reducing fat (especially animal fats), and restricting calories is highly recommended not only for cancer prevention but also for preventing cardiovascular disease, particularly in combination with regular physical activity, with an emphasis on maintaining a healthy body weight.

Drink no more than one alcoholic beverage a day.  More can lead to extra estrogen production which can contribute to breast cancer. 

Get Active- 30-60 minutes of activity 5 days a week !!  Active women greatly reduce their changes of a breast cancer diagnosis.

When to Test -  18-39 do a self test every 3 years and if you are high risk for breast cancer talk to your physician about when to begin mammogram testing.

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