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Identifying the Signs of Breast Cancerby: Anne Wolski Copyright 2005 Anne Wolski Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer deaths. Every woman's breasts are different so it is important for each individual woman to be familiar with her breasts in order to recognize any peculiarities. Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. This is why it is important to follow screening recommendations. As a tumor grows in size, it can produce a variety of symptoms including: * lump or thickening in the breast or underarm * change in size or shape of the breast * nipple discharge or nipple turning inward * redness or scaling of the skin or nipple * ridges or pitting of the breast skin If you experience these symptoms, it doesn't necessarily mean you have breast cancer, but you need to be examined by a doctor. Breast cancer is very rare before age 20 and is rarely diagnosed in women younger than age 25. Past that age, the incidence rises steadily to reach a peak around the age of menopause. The rate of increase is lessened after menopause, but older women are still at increasing risk over time. Although a specific cause for breast cancer has not been identified, there are risk factors that increase the likelihood that a woman will develop a breast cancer. These risks include: * Maternal relative with breast cancer. * Women who start their menstruation early and/or go into early menopause, increasing the length of reproductive years, are at greater risk. * Obesity. Women who are overweight are at increased risk * Women who have never had children are at greater risk. * Women who had their first child over age 30 are at greater risk. * Previous breast cancer. * Previous endometrial cancer. Aside from the genetic predisposition, the common factor in many of these risks is increased endogenous estrogen exposure over a long time. It is recommended that women over 35 check their breasts monthly. However, it is also important that all women do regular breast checks. Your doctor can show you how to effectively check your breasts. Any lump, regardless of size, should be reported to your doctor. Many of these lumps are simply fatty lumps or cysts but it is far better to be safe than sorry. Catching breast cancer early makes a big difference in the type of treatment needed as well as the overall prognosis. Latest Cancer News:FDA panel votes against Xgeva for prostate cancer A panel of cancer experts voted against a new use for Amgen's Xgeva in prostate cancer on Wednesday, saying the drug's ability to slow the spread of the disease did not translate into meaningful benefits for patients Breast cancer kills older women more often NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breast cancer is often considered more deadly among younger women, but a new study shows older women are actually more likely to die of the disease. Researchers found that among women who had been diagnosed with a certain type of breast cancer, those over 75 years old were 63 percent more likely to die of the cancer than women younger than 65. "I suspect it's ... Breast cancer charity chases Komen defectors As a prominent breast cancer researcher and activist, Susan Love is no stranger to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Love runs a breast cancer research foundation that bears her name, and she organized the Army of Women , more than 360,000 women to whom breast cancer researchers can blast out requests for subjects. But the Komen Foundation is so entrenched in the world of breast cancer fundraising ... A Better Way to Spend Breast Cancer Funds? We must move breast cancer advocacy to the next level, beyond screening for cancers that are already there, even beyond the cure, to finding the cause, writes Dr. Susan Love. 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Triple Analysis: Lung Cancer, Angiogenesis and Cancer Vaccines NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Triple Analysis: Lung Cancer, Angiogenesis and Cancer Vaccines http://www.reportlinker.com/p0284988/Triple-Analysis-Lung-Cancer-Angiogenesis-and-Cancer-Vaccines.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Drug_and_MedicationThis ... Marian Regional Medical Center Receives CEO Cancer Gold Standard Accreditation The CEO Roundtable on Cancer recently accredited Marian Regional Medical Center with the CEO Cancer Gold Standard? recognizing the hospital?s efforts to reduce the risk of cancer f Breast Cancer Drug May Weaken Bones, Study Finds TUESDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- A drug used to prevent breast cancer in women at high risk for the disease appears to cause bone loss in some postmenopausal women, a new study finds. Marc Garnick Answers 6 Key Questions about Prostate Cancer Marc Garnick Answers 6 Key Questions about Prostate Cancer Breast cancer kills older women more often - Fox News
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