General Information on Breast Cancer

Breast cancer has been one of the leading health concerns for women. For over 3,600 years the cancer has affected the lives of women in immeasurable ways. According to the Edwin Smith papyrus, awareness of breast cancer has been well established since 1600 BC in Egypt, thus making it the oldest form of cancer known to humans. “There is no treatment”, this is what early Egyptian physicians writes about breast cancer according to the papyrus and for centuries this has been the attitude displayed by both health practitioners and patients.

But while the Egyptians have considered the disease incurable, we now have medical advancements that make survival almost an absolute certainty at early stages. All we need is a firm knowledge on warning signs of the cancer and the determination to go through the treatment process.

What are the Causes of Breast Cancer?

About one in eight women will be diagnosed with this cancer in a lifetime. There are several risk factors which are part of our lives that we could not change. This includes aging, familial history, genetics and menstrual cycle.

The risk of getting cancer becomes higher as a person ages. Advanced cancer stages are commonly found in women fifty years old and above. About thirty percent of women who have breast cancer have a family history of breast, ovarian, uterine or ovarian cancer.

Some people have gene defects that make them more susceptible to acquiring the disease. This includes defects commonly found in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Women with these gene defects have an eighty percent chance of getting breast cancer. Those who have started menstruation before the age of twelve or went through menopause after the age of fifty-five have higher breast cancer risk.

Women who never had children or gave birth only after the age of thirty also have an increased risk for breast cancer.

Other risk factors include alcohol consumption, obesity, hormone replacement therapy to avert menopause, the use of the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) to prevent miscarriage, and radiation.

Curiously, there is no evidence linking the use of breast implants, antiperspirants, pesticides and underwire bras in raising cancer risks.

What are the Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

Undergoing regular breast examination is important in detecting cancerous growths because in early stages, cancer of the breast may not manifest any symptom at all. As the cancer develops women may experience one or a combination of the following.

• A painless hard lump with uneven edges in the breast or armpit area.
  
• Noticeable change in size, shape, feel and texture of the breast and nipple.
  
• Unusual fluids, such as pus, coming out of the nipple.

For women who are in advanced breast cancer stages, symptoms may include bone pain, pain and discomfort in the breast area, skin ulcers in the breast or underarm, weight loss, and swelling of one arm.

How to Prevent Breast Cancer?

Since some risk factors are uncontrollable, awareness is the most important step in fighting the disease. In general, having a healthy diet and lifestyle reduces a person’s chance of getting cancer. Early detection of the cancer raises the cure rate and thus, breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination and screening mammography are highly recommended.

Experts advise BSE once a month for women over twenty. The test should be done a week after their menstruation. For those between the ages of twenty to thirty-nine, clinical examination should be done every three years.

Women above the age of forty are generally advised to undergo a complete breast examination and mammography once a year. Breast MRI should also be done for women who are have higher breast cancer risk factors.

Certain drugs, such as Tamoxifen, are approved by the USDA for cancer prevention in women aged thirty-five or older. Preventive prophylactic mastectomy, or the surgical removal of the breast, is advised for those who already had one breast removed and for those who are identified to have genetic mutations that raise tumor risks.

What exams and tests are involved in the detection of breast cancer?

Your doctor will gather information of your symptoms and risk factors. A thorough physical examination, which includes the breast, armpit, chest and neck, would then be performed to check for possible tumor growths.

To confirm the diagnosis additional test may be performed, this includes mammography, breast MRI, CT scan and PET scan, to identify the size, shape and location of the breast lump. Breast ultrasound is also done to check if the lump is solid or is filled with fluids. Needle aspiration and sentinel lymph node biopsy is done for further laboratory examination of a breast lump and adjacent lymph nodes.

How do we classify breast cancer?

After positive diagnosis of breast cancer, further test will be done in order to check the extent of the cancer. This is called breast cancer staging. This helps doctors identify the treatment methods necessary and to give the patient a prognosis.

Breast cancer stages ranges from zero to four. When a cancer has not yet spread, it is called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The cancer may be noninvasive or invasive depending of the advancement of cancer.

A combination of treatments is commonly received by women and this differs on the stage of the cancer. In stage one, the goal to eliminate the cancer and prevent its spread to other tissues and organs of the body. For women with stage four breast cancers, the treatment is aimed at prolonging the life span of the patient as the cancer in stage four cannot be treated.

How is breast cancer treated?

The treatment of cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer and its sensitivity to certain hormones. The cancer is also monitored for overproduction of the HER2 gene.

The general breast cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Surgical removal of cancerous tissues is also done to effectively remove breast lumps. Surgery may be in form of removal of breast lumps (lumpectomy) or removal of the entire breast and nearby structures (mastectomy). Radiation therapy is the use of high energy x-rays to destroy cancerous tissues.

Treatments such as hormonal therapy and targeted therapy may also be done in order to avert possible metastasis and to stop certain hormones from fueling cancer growth. Some samples of hormonal therapy include drugs such as Tamoxifen and Exemestane which are used to block the effects of estrogen and reduce cancer development. Drugs such as Herceptin plus trastuzumab may be used as a form of targeted therapy in women with stage IV HER2 positive breast cancer.

What to expect after treatment?

There are a number of medical advancements that makes it possible for patients to live longer, more active lives after cancer treatment. Still, we cannot help but stress the importance of early detection. In the American Cancer Society’s study, the five year survival rate for stage zero and one cancer is at a high of a hundred percent and this goes down to at least twenty percent for stage four. Visit your physician and find out more about cancer and learn how breast self examination is done.

Don’t Fall Victim to Breast Cancer, Identify the Early Warning Signs and Find out about Symptoms and Treatment Options Today. Visit Symptoms-of-Cancer.com today and find more information about how to identify Breast Cancer Symptoms

My husband and I were very lucky to find the “right” natural cancer treatment. About 4 years ago my whole life turned upside down when the doctor told us that my husband of 32 years had stage IV cancer that had spread to his lungs! What a blow! I can’t even describe how shook up we both were when he talked about treating his cancer aggressively and using chemotherapy and radiation to save his life. If you have received the same news then you know what it feels like. One of my first thoughts was to find out what natural cancer treatments there were that might work for him.

I dedicated my life to researching and finding out all that I could about fighting his cancer. We still had 8 kids at home depending on us. We raised our first two and then adopted 8 more, so it was vital to both of us that my husband be there to help raise them.

I urged my husband to go the “alternative route” he felt like he needed to follow his doctor’s recommendations. I knew he had to make the ultimate decision so I supported him as best as I could, while I continued to find the best resources for natural cancer treatment that I could locate.

My husband agreed to start using natural supplements and change his diet before starting on chemotherapy. We had also been to a naturopath who stressed the importance of building up his immune system as much as possible, since chemo would really wreak havoc upon it. We had elected to wait for 6 weeks before beginning chemo so that we could travel to see our son graduate from college without my husband feeling sick.

The sad part of the story is that the chemotherapy and then radiation did nothing to stop the spread of the cancer. He came through the treatments themselves fairly well – we think at least partially due to the supplementation and strengthening of his immune system.

All through this time I kept researching and trying different supplements and diet ideas. My husband’s attitude was to not give up and he believed he would beat his cancer. He was amazing! After dedicating himself to the natural cancer treatment plan that we came up with he was able to see his cancer tumors stop growing and spreading.

Now, just about 4 years later he is active, healthy and vibrant. His fighting spirit and willingness led him to do whatever was needed to do to cure his cancer. I will always be grateful for those who have shared their knowledge and concern and helped us develop a natural cancer treatment plan that saved my husband’s life.

There are many people suffering from cancer today that are desperate for a cure and yet often traditional treatments such as chemotherapy just seem to make you sicker. Although it is important to consult a medical practitioner and work with them in finding the right treatment for your cancer there are some natural cancer treatments that you should discuss with your doctor that may either help to destroy the cancer cells or help to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Glyconutrients as a Natural Cancer Cure

Glyconutrients are becoming well known for their beneficial effects but it is only since about 1996 that doctors have actually had this included in their syllabus. Doctors who qualified before this time may need to be asked about their use or do more research into it. Glyconutrients do not necessarily cure cancer but they can help with alleviating side effects of the traditional treatments and improve their effectiveness.

Ozone Therapy

Cancer cells cannot survive in the presence of pure oxygen as they are anaerobic. Treatments such as ozone therapy can therefore be very effective in killing off cancer cells while providing many other benefits for the body as well. Speak to your doctor about what type of ozone therapy would be beneficial for you and how you can include it in your cancer treatment.

Anti Cancer Diets

Anti cancer diets are particularly useful in preventing, rather than actually treating cancer. However, if you currently suffer from cancer then it is not too late to use the anti cancer diet principles to help improve your health and hopefully hinder the spread of the cancer.

The advantage with many natural cancer treatments is that there are usually no adverse side effects as there are with other treatments but these should still not be followed unwisely to the exclusion of other treatments. Combine these natural treatments with traditional treatments and improve your chances of conquering cancer.

One of the themes you will find running through all well-researched books about alternative and natural cancer cures is nutrition and diet. The authors of these books assume that all of their readers eat the typical Western diet, which is full of harmful chemicals and toxins and plain old junk. And every author recommends that you start improving your diet immediately, even before your choose the natural cancer treatment you will use.

We eat a lot of fast food today, and we can all admit that most fast food is junk. Packaged and frozen already cooked meals are a great convenience item, but you pay for this convenience by eating lots of chemicals and preservatives and high fructose corn syrup and food colorings. Oh yes, and salt, lots of salt.

So what do the authors of cancer books about natural cancer cures expect you to eat? Real food, like your Grandparents and Great-Grandparents ate. Foods that are fresh and wholesome like Nature intended, foods that are not full of chemicals and hormones and antibiotics. Foods that do not come out of packages.

Go to the fresh vegetable and fruit section of your grocery store and buy some real, fresh vegetables and go home and cook them. If you do not know how to cook vegetables, there are lots of good recipe sites on the Internet. Start at one that has different difficulty levels and plenty of instructions and videos for beginners, like AllRecipes dot com. If you do not know how to cook at all, these sites can help you learn. Cooking really is not hard, and lots of people find it to be fun and relaxing.

Do you really need to change your diet that much? If you want to cure your cancer naturally, you sure do. Do you have to become a vegetarian and give up all meats and everything you love? No, not necessarily, it is up to you. Some natural cancer cures are based on making drastic changes to your diet, so if you decide to use one of these treatments be sure you can live with the requirements of the diet. If you think the dietary requirements are too challenging for you to stick with, then look for a natural cancer treatment that is more in tune with you and your lifestyle. Read about as many treatment options as you can and decide on a treatment plan that you feel you can follow.

To give yourself the best possible odds of beating cancer, you need to improve your diet as much as possible and eliminate as many fast foods and chemicals as you can, but there are lots of alternative cancer cures that work without using really drastic diets. There really are a lot of natural cancer treatment choices that work.

You have just been diagnosed with cancer, and your world has turned upside down. You are frightened of what is going to happen, and really worried that you are going to die. You have horrible mental pictures of yourself after chemo and radiation treatment – terribly thin, hairless and in immense pain. You are afraid of conventional cancer treatments but are afraid of making a mistake when choosing a natural cancer cure. What are you going to do?

The first thing you need to understand is you can use both conventional and natural cancer treatments at the same time to treat your cancer. You can try several different natural treatments at once, and none of them will be incompatible with conventional therapies, in fact natural cancer treatments can help you to better tolerate conventional treatments. Now your Oncologist will probably not agree with this, but it is true.

Cancer is a failure of the immune system. We all develop cancerous cells constantly, but it is normally no problem for our immune systems to identify the rogue cells and destroy them. Cancer occurs when your immune system has been damaged or weakened to the point where it can no longer destroy these rogue cells. So the very first thing you must do is to start boosting your immune system, you must make it stronger.

How do you start boosting your immune system? Improve your diet. Cut out sugar and sodas, fast foods and packaged foods, and start eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. If you smoke, stop immediately, today not tomorrow. Get out in the sunshine for at least 15 minutes every day and do not use sunscreen, you want your body to start producing as much vitamin D as possible. Start taking vitamins and supplements to help boost your immune system. And take a walk while you are outside soaking up the sun, start adding in some extra exercise to your day. None of this is difficult, and it all helps strengthen your immune system. Is it enough to cure your cancer? No. But it is a great start.

The next thing you need to do is get one or more good cancer books on Natural Cancer Cures and start reading and researching immediately. Contrary to what some doctors will tell you, in almost all cases you have time to wait a few weeks and do your research. If you want to start with surgery or chemotherapy or radiation and then add in some natural treatments, that is fine. If you want to go with only natural cancer treatments, that is fine, too. Take charge of your body and your treatment. Do your research on natural cancer cures, make your decision, and get started. Because cancer can be cured. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ally_Woodrum

Ask just about any teenager or adult, and they will be able to tell you what conventional cancer treatments are available and used today – surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. But how many people are aware that natural cancer cures even exist? And if the person has heard of natural cancer treatments, can they name some? Probably not.

There are hundreds of natural treatments available today, including many that have been used very successfully for decades. In most cases the treatments are used extensively in other countries but not in the USA. The main reason for this is the FDA does not allow American doctors to prescribe any cancer treatments other than surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. American doctors can lose their license to practice medicine and be prosecuted and jailed if they recommend alternative treatments to their patients.

Natural cancer treatments can be broadly categorized as treatments you administer to yourself, treatments that must be administered by a physician, and treatments that must be administered in specialized clinics. One interesting thing about all the different treatments is, in almost every case you will be told to immediately start improving your diet. This is because cancer is a failure of the immune system, so the number one priority of all natural therapies is to improve the immune system. And you do this primarily by improving your diet, adding lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and cutting out fast foods, sugars and sodas, and most packaged foods.

Something you might not know about natural cancer treatments is they do not interfere with conventional treatments, you can do both at the same time, and many people do. Chemotherapy and radiation are designed to kill cancer cells, but unfortunately they kill healthy cells as well as cancer cells. This means that healthy cells that function as part of the immune system are killed, too. Since the main thrust of most natural treatments is to build up your immune system so it can fight off the cancer naturally, these treatments can help counteract the immune system damage caused by chemotherapy and radiation.

What does this mean to you? Using natural treatments along with conventional treatments may keep you from losing your hair, or from the extreme nausea and vomiting usually caused by chemotherapy. Many natural cancer therapies are designed to help your body defend itself and repair itself quickly.

Once you do your basic research and decide on the therapy or therapies you want to use, be sure to find a sympathetic doctor who will monitor your test results and help you assess your progress. You need to do this because it is very important for everyone to remember that no therapy, whether natural or conventional, works for everyone. Nothing works one hundred percent of the time. It is actually very smart to pick more than one natural cancer treatment to use for this very reason. And always remember, cancer can be cured. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ally_Woodrum

Breast cancer starts in the breast, and this mentions an area that extends as high as the clavicle and may extend to  tissue under the arm to the middle of the chest. The composition of the breast is a combination of fatty tissue, milk ducts, glands and lobules. Lobules are glands that create milk.

The more common types of cancers in the breast are normally found in the lobules or the milk ducts. When a breast cancer is identified as being ‘in situ’ it means that the cancer stays controlled and hasn’t started to intrude on any of the bordering tissue.

Ductal Carcinoma in situ – is when the cancer is situated in the milk duct lining but it has not spread out. This is a very treatable kind of the cancer.

Lobular Carcinoma in situ – is when the cancer has settled in a lobule but hasn’t spread. A few in the medical profession believe this to be simply an early warning of possible cancer whilst other people feel it is cancer but extremely treatable also.

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma – Is cancer that starts out in the lining of the duct but has broken  free to the bordering tissue.

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma – Means the cancer has begun in one of the milk producing lobules but has pushed through to bordering tissue.

Other less common kinds of breast cancer includes: Sarcoma, that involves the connective tissue of the breast, Paget’s disease that relates to the nipple and the coloured tissue circling the nipple, or inflammatory breast cancer that blocks off lymph vessels close to the surface of skin tissue and demonstrates itself by causing an inflammation. Recurrent breast cancer is cancer that’s came back and may have developed in some other tissue or organ of the body.

Research throughout a lot of centuries has slowly formed a more adept understanding of what causes breast cancer and how it can be cared for. In the 17th century the medical profession was starting to acquire a clean-cut idea of how the body’s cardiovascular system functioned. From there they recognized that while a cancer grew in the breast it was capable of rapidly intruding on the remainder of the body through the lymph nodes that are situated adjacent to the breasts and under the arms.

To stop the spreading of the disease it became the practice to not simply get rid of the involved breast tissue, but the nodes also. There are recorded cases of mastectomies being performed in the later part of the 19th century. Continuing into more recent times they have developed a number of different choices for treatments. Although the methods are greatly advanced, the rationale  continues to first of all get rid of the cancer surgically and then follow it up with an choice of treatments that might necessitate chemotherapy, radiation, and drug therapy. However in some cases the cancer may be treated without the operation.

It’s been noticed that the occurrence of breast cancer has greatly increased from the latter part of the 20th century on. Extensive research continues into whether this is associated to the progressively harmful surroundings we inhabit. The need to understand the causes and prevent the disease to begin with gets ever stronger.

Breast cancer in men can be just as dangerous as breast cancer in women. More than 1,700 men are diagnosed with male breast cancer each year. But because men often wait to report the symptoms of male breast cancer, the disease is more likely to have spread, leaving many men with less hope that treatment will lead to recovery.

Breast cancer in men accounts for approximately one percent of cases of breast cancer and about 0.2 percent of all malignancies in men, according to The National Cancer Institute. In women, breast cancer represents 26 percent of all cancers. However, all of the types of breast cancer seen in women can also occur in men, although some are quite rare.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that breast cancer in men results in approximately 480 deaths in men compared to more than 40,000 women who die of breast cancer each year.

The survival rate for men is lower than for women. Men have very little breast tissue and do not typically receive mammograms.

Also, men are not taught to do regular breast self-examination. No one knows the exact cause of breast cancer, but risk factors include age, family history of breast cancer, changes in the appearance of the breast and race. Breast cancer is diagnosed more often in White women than Latina, Asian and African American women.

Since breast cancer is 100 times more common among women, the general public does not hear much about breast cancer in men. Many people are unaware that men can develop breast cancer, and neither individual men themselves nor their physicians regularly examine men’s breasts.

Furthermore, when men discover signs of breast cancer, they tend to delay before seeing a physician. This is the main reason why medical researchers have a hard time studying breast cancer in men and the effect it has on the male population. Men do not believe they are susceptible to the disease.

For instance, actor Richard Roundtree, the man who personified masculinity in the iconoclastic blaxploitaion film Shaft, discovered a lump in his right breast in the 1970s. It was cancer.

“When I got the news, I was shocked,” said Roundtree, who has worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation which raises breast cancer awareness among women and men, as well as funds for research. “I thought I couldn’t possibly have breast cancer. Men don’t get this,” Roundtree once said in a USA Today interview. The actor was fortunate to catch his cancer early and received chemotherapy, radiation treatments, and a mastectomy.

Another celebrity to have had male breast cancer is Peter Criss, a founding member of the rock band KISS, who calls himself “the luckiest man in the planet.” Criss said getting medical treatment early at the first sign of trouble saved his life.

“While some men feel embarrassed because of ‘this macho crap,’” Criss said surviving breast cancer was actually a blessing. He was treated before the tumor could spread and said he speaks out about breast cancer in men during National Breast Cancer Awareness month every October to raise the profile of this rare disease.

Criss, who played drums for KISS and was known as “Catman,” offered this advice to men who spot lumps in their breast: “Don’t sit around playing Mr. Tough Guy. Don’t say ‘It’s going to go away.’ It might not and you might not see life anymore and how beautiful that is.”

Most cases of breast cancer in men are detected in men between the ages of 60 and 70, although the condition can develop in men of any age. A man’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is about one-tenth of one percent, or one in 1,000.

However, men with breast cancer show the same racial disparities in survival as do women with the disease, according to a study conducted at Columbia University. Medicare-age African American men with breast cancer were three times more likely to die from the disease than White men. These findings parallel those of previous studies among women, which have shown higher breast cancer mortality rates for African American women at all ages, according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes between African American and White women have been reduced to access to health care, and other socioeconomic factors. Similar factors may contribute to the poor outcomes observed among African American men with breast cancer.

Among the findings related to African American men, the researchers reported that they were more likely to have later-stage disease and larger tumors than White men; African American men were 48 percent less likely to be referred to a medical oncologist and 56 percent less likely to receive chemotherapy than White men, though neither difference was significant. Five-year survival was about 90 percent among White patients but 66 percent among African American patients.

On the basis of the findings, the researchers concluded that part of the racial disparity in survival may be due to differences in treatment. Under treatment may account for the racial disparity in breast cancer survival among men.

Medical researchers have said further studies will be needed to explain clinical and biological factors contributing to racial disparities in male breast cancer. Because breast cancer in men is rare at less than one percent of cancers in men, obtaining large sample sizes has been a challenge. Most previous studies have been small, single center, retrospective series.

Early signs, however, indicate that the disease is more manageable and has higher successful treatable rates than when found in women. In many ways, the disease appears similarly in both sexes.

Symptoms of breast cancer

A painless lump, usually discovered by the patient himself, is by far the most common first symptom of breast cancer in men. Typically, the lump appears right beneath the breast, where breast tissue is concentrated.

A lump, however, is seldom the only symptom. Men are more likely than women to have nipple discharge (sometimes bloody) and signs of local spreading, including nipple retraction, fixation to the skin or the underlying tissues, and skin ulceration.

To improve the prognosis of breast cancer in men, broader efforts are needed to let men know that the disease exists and that, like other cancers, it can be cured or controlled if it is diagnosed and treated promptly.

Risk factors attributed to breast cancer.

- Age

The incidence of breast cancer in men, like in women, increases with age. The average age of men at diagnosis is close to 65, about five years older than the average age for women.

- Ethnicity

Breast cancer affects 14 African American men and eight White men in every million. Some studies also suggest that the prevalence is higher among Jewish males.

- Geography

In Egypt, breast cancer in men represents six percent of all breast cancers, and in Zambia, it accounts for 15 percent. It has been suggested that one contributing factor might be an excess of estrogen produced by parasites. Others have proposed a link with liver disease caused by malnutrition.

- Socioeconomic Status

A recent study comparing male breast cancer patients from five metropolitan areas with men of comparable backgrounds who did not have breast cancer, found that the breast cancer patients were more likely to be college graduates and employed as professionals or managers.

- Heredity

Several researchers have reported two or more cases of breast cancer in men within a single family. Several of these reports have involved two brothers; one involved three brothers; and another described breast cancer in a man, his father and his uncle.

- Hormones

Abnormal hormonal activity, a factor that has been linked to the development of female breast cancer, could play a role in the development of male breast cancer as well. Several disorders with a hormonal component have been associated with an increased risk of male breast cancer, and numerous studies suggest that men with breast cancer display abnormal patterns of hormone metabolism and excretion.

- Treatment

The treatment for male breast cancer is generally similar to the treatment of female breast cancer. The basic therapy for cancer that shows no signs of distant spreading is surgery. In advanced stages, it is hormonal and chemotherapy. The small number of men who develop breast cancer makes it unlikely that large prospective trials can ever be undertaken to compare various therapies. It is possible, nonetheless, that institutions that see more than the usual number of cases could collaborate in developing a fund of reliable information. In the meantime, it is important that individual physicians and surgeons keep careful records to document the cases of the several hundred men who develop breast cancer each year in the U.S.

C.J. Clemmons is a writer for ; Regal Black Mens Magazine The publication focuses on ; African American Community News Politics Sports Health The magazine features a ; Local Online Classifieds & Job Classified Black Business Directory Visit to read about ; breast cancer in men

Less than 20 years ago, more women were finding breast cancer diagnosis’s after the cancer had taken hold and spread to other organs, and limiting the chances of surviving the initial disease. With the advances in cancer research and an aggressive media campaign to provide breast cancer info to the general public, many more women are seeking early diagnostic exams and helping to lower the instances of mortality, according to breast cancer statistics.

Self examination training can be found on many medical websites but it is best to talk to your doctor and learn the correct procedures. Women also need to know to look for more than just lumps. Any change in the shape or size of the breasts must also be noted and can only be detected if the self-exam is conducted on a regular basis.

One of the ways to do this is to stand in front of a mirror, with arms relaxed at your sides. Now, look at both breasts, but don’t be alarmed if they are slightly different in size, most women’s breasts are not identical. Look for changes like puckering around the nipples, differences in color, or sores. Now, bend forward facing the mirror and roll your shoulders and elbows forward to tighten your chest muscles and look for changes in contour. Do the same looking at each side carefully for these abnormalities.

Finding a lump or other abnormalities doesn’t always indicate that cancer is present. Women of all ages can find benign fibrous tumors or cysts caused by any number of reasons. However, only through a doctor’s evaluation can these be determined. And if breast cancer is the diagnosis there have been huge advances in breast cancer medication and treatments that have saved thousands of lives. The most important factor in cancer survival rates is seeking medical treatment as soon as possible. The earlier that treatment can take place the better the overall chances for survival and in many cases total remission.

Once you have visually checked your breasts and noted any changes or problems identified above, it is time to feel for thickening or lumps under the skin. For the best results, it is best to have your doctor explain all the steps to make sure you are doing this part of the exam correctly. In all cases the technique and steps are paramount in finding breast cancer early.

Further research shows that breast cancer statistics have greatly improved in the areas of mortality over the last 10 to 15 years. Early diagnosis begins with the individual and with the internet there is reliable breast cancer info to be found. This is good news for thousands of women and their families and a triumph for the doctors and researchers that have worked tirelessly to prevent early death from this type of cancer.

By Jenny Heart. Research breast cancer medication through extensive breast cancer info resource site. Find doctors, breast cancer statistics and patient stories.

* Facts taken from the Skin Cancer foundation:

* Cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

* More than 90% of all skin cancers are caused by the sun.

* The risk for skin cancer doubles after 5 or more sun burns.

* Approximately 59,940 melanomas will be diagnosed this year alone, over 8,110 will result in death.

Despite these alarming hard core facts, sun tanning is on the rise among teenagers and older 30′s to 50 year olds alike. The quest for a healthy glow and a bronzed body has become a national past time. Whether it’s from the sun or a tanning bed, these sun worshipers are slathering on the expensive sun tan oil with blatant disregard to the long term damaging effects of UVA and UVB Rays. Unbelievable as it may be, these self proclaimed sun lovers admit to using little to no sun protection at all.

Baking your skin in the sun or tanning bed for an extended period of time is an extremely dangerous and often fatal idea. The undisputed facts show that over exposure to the sun can have you ultimately dieing for a tan.

How Do We Damage Our Skin?

The first sign of skin damage is sunburn. Sunburns, no matter how mild you think they may be result in DNA damage. This most certainly paves the way to skin cancer, also known as melanoma.

Did you know that getting a tan is your body’s way of defending itself from the harmful rays of the sun?

Tanning zaps your skin’s youthful appearance, the damage builds up over time. What most of us don’t realize is that while your busy building that perfect tan, you skin is slowly and silently building a case for skin cancer. The Ultra Violet Radiation is responsible for pre-mature skin damage that is called Photo Aging.

Photo Aging – Do You Look Older Than You Really Are?

Over the years we all age naturally. People that tan age at an accelerated rate due to over exposure to UV Light. Once this process is set in motion, it is almost impossible to reverse.

Yes, there are expensive procedures available, but your skin will never be able to regenerate at the pace the sun is working to make you look older. No amount of money in the world can give you back your skin’s collagen, natural elasticity and youthful glow.

Signs of Photo Aging

* Deep wrinkle patterns & fine lines

* Dried, parched look and feel to skin

* Freckles and liver spots, most prevalent on your face, chest, hands and back area

* Dilation of small blood vessels under the skin

* Destruction of elasticity

* Dry, rough patches

* Sallow complexion

* Mottled, spotted complexion

* Thinner, more delicate looking translucent skin

Smart Protection From The Sun

The warm glow of the sun beckons to everyone. Summer months and warm winter vacation spots have us all heading for the boats and bathing suits. Many of us enjoy the great outdoors on golf courses, pools and playgrounds. It is inevitable that the searing sun will be there to do its damage. Most people will not make the commitment to stay out of the sun, and you don’t really have to. Just learn to be sun smart and protect yourself from the harmful rays.

Here Are Some Smart Prevention Tips

* Stay away from all UV Tanning Beds. (no matter what they claim, they are not safe)

* Stay out of the sun between the hours of 10am – 4pm (these are the dangerous hours, seek the shade if possible.)

* Limit exposure time while in the water. UV Rays are magnified by the water.

* Wear proper sun gear – A good sun hat with a broad brim or sports cap. Wear UV protected sunglasses. Always wear a shirt when in the sun for long periods of time.

* Apply sunscreen to all exposed skin areas. Make sure it has an SPF of 15 or higher. Apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before exposure to the sun, as well as reapply every 2 hours.

* Keep all babies under the age of 6 months out of the sun.

* Do not allow small children to become sunburned. Apply sunscreen to all children over the age of 6 months.

* Pack an umbrella when heading to the beach or park.

* Have a skin exam by your physician annually.

Certain skin types may be at greater risk to develop skin cancer. Sun damage occurs in everyone. Learn the early warning signs of melanoma. Early detection is your best defense at surviving skin cancer. Limiting your sun exposure and being sun smart could save your life.

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