7 Symptoms of Breast Cancer and How to Prevent

Symptoms of breast cancer include a lump in the breast, bloody discharge from the nipple, and changes in the shape or texture of the nipple or breast. In addition, breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women after skin cancer.

According to official statistics, 1 in 8 women in the United States develops breast cancer at some point in life. About 246,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually.

This type of cancer can also affect men, but they are 100 times less likely to have this problem than women. Death rates from breast cancer have decreased in recent decades due to more advanced methods of diagnosis and treatments.

The breast exam is part of the annual routine exams, but women who are most at risk of having breast cancer (such as people with a personal or family history) may need to have screening tests more often than once a year .

Symptoms of breast cancer:

Signs and symptoms of breast cancer include:

changes in the skin of the breast or nipple, such as redness, scales, undulations or thickening;
swollen lymph nodes in the armpits and / or around the collarbone, which means that the cancer has spread.
nodule (or nodules) in the chest or armpit, which may or may not be painful;
changes in the size and shape of the chest;
all or part of a breast is swollen;
discharge from the nipple that may be clear or bloody;
Some of these symptoms may be a sign of a different problem, but they require professional analysis.

How breast cancer is diagnosed:

The doctor first performs a visual examination and a physical examination. If he finds something suspicious, you will need additional tests, which may include mammography, ultrasound, MRI and biopsy.

How can I reduce the risk of breast cancer?

There are ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer or to detect it in its early stages:

check your breasts for any unusual lumps every month or even more often and go to your doctor if you find anything suspicious;
being overweight or obese can increase your risk of breast cancer, so it is best to try to lose some extra weight;
if you are undergoing hormone therapy, discuss your potential risks with your doctor;
ask your doctor how often you need to have screening tests;
be sure to perform medical examinations, including breast exam;
stop smoking and limit your alcohol consumption;
What’s more, according to research, being more physically active can lower your risk of getting the disease.