Breast Cancer Prevention

Breast cancer is still a dreaded thought to many women. Most women know someone or certainly have heard of someone who has been diagnosed. There are many stories of women who have beaten the disease and, sadly, some who have succumbed. The good news is that research is continuing in trying to find a cure for all cancers including breast cancer. And there are new ways to treat the disease.

But the old saying that prevention is better than cure is certainly true. Sadly we still do not know what can definitely prevent the disease. We know of several factors which are relevant to the prevention of the disease and the main one of course is regular check-ups. Cancer can be beaten if caught at an early stage and this means constant screenings for breast cancer signs.

Diet, exercise and weight control are three important factors. The good thing about all three is that in almost every case, a woman can control her destiny. You can eat a well-balanced and wholesome diet, you can undertake sensible and regular exercise and you can do something about being overweight. For some it may not be as easy as for others but generally speaking, every woman can take charge of her diet, exercise and weight.

Anyone can develop cancer but women who have a greater risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer, and in developed countries like the USA, this can be as high as 1 in 8, are women who have a family history of cancer and particularly breast cancer.

There are different ways to detect breast cancer. Every woman should carry out a breast self-examination at least once a month. Any swelling or anything unusual should result in a visit to her doctor. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast and such an examination is able to pick up almost all tumors even if quite small. Catching the tumor in its infancy is vital in the successful treatment of the disease. The two methods are both essential with the self-examination being far more regular than the mammogram. Health authorities recommended all women under 40 have a least one mammogram and once into their 40s to have an annual mammogram.

Young women need to be aware that there is usually a thicker layer of glandular breast tissue and this can screen or hide a possible tumor. An ultrasound is capable of penetrating the dense breast tissue and is used to screen for any cancer. It can see specific areas and pick up matter which a mammogram may miss.

Any woman from a high-risk area such as a family history with breast cancer should consider medical examinations like a mammogram every six months as opposed to once a year. Consult your doctor for advice on your timetable.

In summary there is no definite way to prevent breast cancer. There are ways to reduce the risk and there are simple and powerful ways to detect any cancer. And better still, treatments continue to improve as well.

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