2 breast cancer warning signs.
Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer globally and is a leading cause of cancer mortality among women. Over two million women will present with the disease this year, and nearly 700,000 will die.
The World Health Organization observes that half of the breast cancers occur in women with no identifiable breast cancer risk factors other than female gender and over 40.
Here are some of the “fixed” factors that raise breast cancer risk:
- Increasing age
- Female sex
- Inherited genetics
Potentially modifiable risks include:
- Obesity, after menopause
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Reproductive history (including an early age to start menstrual periods, late age at first pregnancy, and late menopause)
- Certain hormonal therapies
- Radiation exposure to the chest region (for example, for Hodgkin disease as a child)
Breast cancer — Symptoms
Let’s do this in the form of a quiz.
1. A breast lump is the most common breast cancer symptom What’s #2?
A recent study showed a breast lump as the most common presenting symptom, with over four in five presenting with it. The second and third most common included nipple abnormalities and breast pain at seven and six percent, respectively. Breast skin abnormalities came in at two percent.
2. What are the most common symptoms for those with inflammatory breast cancer?
Inflammatory breast cancer is an incredibly aggressive subtype that merits immediate diagnosis and treatment. The most common symptom is a rapidly enlarging and red (over one-third) breast. Some women have associated enlargement of lymph nodes, for example, in the underarm (axillary) area.
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