October is breast cancer awareness month. We want to help create more awareness among women of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer and, together with their families, understand the importance of early detection and treatment.
Roughly half of all breast cancers occur in women with no specific risk factors other than sex and age. Breast cancer occurs in every country in the world. Certain factors increase the risk of breast cancer including increasing age, obesity, harmful use of alcohol, family history of breast cancer, history of radiation exposure, reproductive history (such as age that menstrual periods began and age at first pregnancy), tobacco use and postmenopausal hormone therapy. Approximately half of breast cancers develop in women who have no identifiable breast cancer risk factor other than gender (female) and age (over 40 years).
Family history of breast cancer increases the risk of breast cancer, but most women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a known family history of the disease. Lack of a known family history does not necessarily mean that a woman is at reduced risk.
Breast cancer can have combinations of symptoms, especially when it is more advanced. Most people will not experience any symptoms when the cancer is still early.
Symptoms of breast cancer can include:
a breast lump or thickening, often without pain
change in size, shape or appearance of the breast
dimpling, redness, pitting or other changes in the skin
change in nipple appearance or the skin surrounding the nipple (areola)
abnormal or bloody fluid from the nipple.
People with an abnormal breast lump should seek medical care, even if the lump does not hurt.
Treatment for breast cancer depends on the subtype of cancer and how much it has spread outside of the breast to lymph nodes (stages II or III) or to other parts of the body (stage IV).
Doctors combine treatments to minimize the chances of the cancer coming back (recurrence). These include:
surgery to remove the breast tumour
radiation therapy to reduce recurrence risk in the breast and surrounding tissues
medications to kill cancer cells and prevent spread, including hormonal therapies, chemotherapy or targeted biological therapies.
Treatments for breast cancer are more effective and are better tolerated when started early and taken to completion.
Nine out of ten women survive breast cancer when it is found and treated early. Listen to your body and get checked.
At Earthy, for the month of October, we will donate 20% to Breast Cancer Now from the sale of all of any of our plant-based pink nail polishes. Give your natural nails a pretty pink manicure this October.
Comments