All you need to know about breast cancer

cancer

Breast cancer may affect one-eighth of women during their lifetime. It is one of the most common types of cancer in women around the world. However, there are a large number of factors that may be dangerous and cause direct infection with this disease.

Early symptoms of breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that can affect women, but it is no longer the type of cancer that is primarily responsible for their death. One in eight women around the world develops breast cancer, and this health information may help in understanding and diagnosing breast cancer, and considering its various treatment options depending on the type of diagnosis.

 If any of the following symptoms appear in the patient, she should immediately consult a doctor,

Such as:

Breast secretion of a transparent substance, and it can be similar to blood from the nipple, which may sometimes be associated with a tumor in the breast. a noticeable change in the size or shape of the breast; The patient may notice the difference between the size or color of the breasts, and may notice an increase in the size of one of the breasts. The surface of the breast skin is wrinkled, and the appearance of redness similar to the peel of an orange. Retraction and indentation of the nipple. The patient may notice a change in the position of the nipple, either to the right or the left, with the appearance of clear indentations on the surface of the breast, just by touching. Flattening of the skin covering the breast, and the dryness of the breast may lead to its flatness, and the patient can notice this by comparing its texture to the texture of the other breast. Pain in the chest or armpits is not related to the woman's menstrual period. Where breast cancer pain differs from menstrual pain in that menstrual pain disappears once menstruation ends, while breast cancer pain continues all the time. Swelling in one of the armpits, and the appearance of a clear swelling that can be seen in the patient.

Breast cancer is one of the diseases that most frighten women, but it may also affect men in lower rates. And now, with the development of science, there is more hope and optimism than in the past. In the past thirty years, doctors have made great achievements in the fields of treatment and early detection of breast cancer, and thus the number of deaths caused by breast cancer has decreased. Until 1975, the only solution when detecting breast cancer was to remove the entire breast;

Any procedure to completely remove all of the breast tissue, including the lymph nodes in the armpit and the muscles under the breast.

Currently, full mastectomy operations do not occur except in rare cases. Today it has been replaced by a wide range of different treatments.

As the majority of women perform breast-preserving surgeries.

Breast cancer causes

There are some risk factors that may increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, including:

Aging: More than 80% of women who suffer from breast cancer are over the age of fifty. Age is a risk factor for breast cancer; And the older a woman gets, the more likely she is to get breast cancer.

Genetic factor: Women who have a genetic history of breast or ovarian cancer are more likely to develop the disease, compared to those who have no previous history. If two close family members have the disease, this does not mean that they share the same genes; Because it is a relatively common disease, and does not depend entirely on the genetic factor.

Previous benign lumps of the patient: Women who have had some types of benign lumps of the disease (non-cancerous) are more likely to develop cancer later on, such as: unusual enlargement of the ducts.

Estrogen factor: women who have advanced in age and entered menopause are more likely to develop breast cancer; This is because their bodies were exposed to estrogen for a longer period. Exposure to estrogen begins at the start of menstruation, and decreases dramatically at menopause.

Sudden obesity after menopause: menopause in women makes them more likely to gain weight; Which may increase the risk of developing breast cancer in particular; This is because estrogen levels drop dramatically after menopause.

Foods to fight breast cancer

There are many plant foods that are naturally available in our food, which have proven effective in fighting breast cancer, including:

Cranberries: Cranberries have anti-cancer properties. Because it contains a different group of antioxidants, such as ellagic acid, anthocyanins, pterostilbene, and large amounts of polyphenols, which is eight times as effective as vitamin C. These antioxidants contribute to impeding the division of cancer cells in the breast, and stopping them in the early stages of their division.

Cabbage: It is from the cruciferous family and belongs to the vegetable. It has been found that cabbage contains anti-cancer substances of various types, known as the compound indole-3-carbinol, which protects against breast cancer by activating the estrogen hormone.

Broccoli: The more solid vegetables you eat, the better your body, said researcher Sarah J. Nechuta, MPH, PhD at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and it has been shown that sulfurophanes in broccoli, which is responsible for its bitter taste, enhance the performance of vital liver enzymes, Which in turn works to rid the body of toxins. It was found that the level of this enzyme is usually low in women with breast cancer.

Turmeric: Turmeric is rich in important elements to strengthen immunity, such as: dietary fiber, proteins, vitamin C, K, E and many minerals, such as: calcium, copper, sodium, potassium, zinc, and antioxidants, which give it several anti-inflammatory features, and cancer cells. , and microbes. Curcumin; It is an active substance found in turmeric, and it was found to have a role in stimulating the self-destruction of cancer cells, and fighting breast cancer. Studies have confirmed that eating a teaspoon of turmeric helps in the prevention and resistance of cancers, in addition to enhancing the action of some chemical treatments, and reducing their side effects.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes contain powerful antioxidants such as: flavonoids, in addition to lycopene in the tomato peel, which is responsible for the red color of tomatoes, which plays a role in reducing the risk of many types of cancer, especially breast cancer. In addition, tomatoes contain important elements, such as: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and iron; This gives it a major role in boosting the body's immunity.

Garlic and onions: Garlic and onions contain many anti-cancer substances, such as: selenium and allicin. Many studies have proven that the properties that garlic contains fight cancer, especially prostate and breast cancer, and that quercetin in onions has an anti-cancer effect as well, in addition to containing flavonoids; Which works to maintain tissues in the body, and inhibit cell damage. In addition, it contains vitamin E and C, which are antioxidants, to enhance immunity and protect the body.

Oily fish: Eating oily fish, such as: mackerel and salmon, reduces the risk of breast cancer; This is because they contain omega-3, which is an important component in inhibiting the growth of cancerous tumors, and strengthening the body's immune system.

Breast cancer prevention factors

There are many simple tips and methods that can be followed to avoid breast cancer.

Which the patient can do, including:

Exercising and exercising for more than four hours a week, which reduces the risk of developing this dangerous disease. Breastfeeding, as a woman who breastfeeds her children from her breast, her risk of breast cancer is almost non-existent. Women can do a self-examination for early detection of breast cancer, once a month, on the sixth and seventh day of the menstrual cycle. . Placing the hands behind the head, and pressing them forward without moving the head while looking in the mirror. Put the hands on the middle area and bend forward with the shoulders and elbows pressed forward. Raise the left hand to the top, and use the right hand to examine the left breast in a circular motion to the nipple. Pressing softly and very gently on the nipple to check if there are any abnormal secretions.

breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer treatments evolve over time, and nowadays people have more options than before, and all breast treatments have two main goals:

Rid the body of as many cancer cells as possible.

Prevent the disease from returning to the patient's body.

The treatment of breast cancer is gradual, by knowing the type of cancer, then taking the drugs for the disease, and if these drugs do not meet the purpose, the doctor resorts to special treatments to remove the tumor from the body. There are some tests that the doctor can perform for the patient,

Including: Examination of the type of breast cancer that the patient suffers from. Examination of the patient's tumor size, and the extent of the cancer's spread in the body; This is called the stage of diagnosis of the disease. Examination for the presence of receptors for protein, estrogen, and progesterone in the breast, or the presence of certain other symptoms. There are types of treatment that may destroy or control all cancer cells in the body, including:

chemotherapy drugs to kill cancer cells; Because they are powerful medicines that fight disease. It can cause side effects, such as nausea, hair loss, early menopause, hot flashes, and general fatigue. Drugs to block hormones, especially estrogen, which increase the growth of cancer cells. There are some medications, whose side effects can be hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

There are some types of treatment that remove or destroy cancerous cells in the breast and nearby tissues, such as lymph nodes, and include:

Radiation therapy: which uses high-energy waves to kill cancer cells. Surgery to remove the entire breast: either through the removal of the entire breast or the surrounding tissue, and the excision of the tumor, and there are different types of mastectomy. We stress the importance of self-examination for early detection of breast cancer.