Monday, October 11, 2010

Breast Cancer Awareness

Is breast cancer the most common cause of death for women? Breast cancer is the fifth leading cause of death. As it grows, however, breast cancer can cause changes in how the breast looks or feels.
Doctors use a mammogram detection to look for early signs of breast cancer. Having regular mammograms can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. If you want to be screened for breast cancer, call your doctor's office. Most health insurance companies pay for the cost of breast cancer screening tests.
A mammogram can show many cancers before they are felt. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast and is performed with a specially designed machine. A registered x-ray technologist will position your breast between two plastic plates. Some women may find mammograms uncomfortable due to the firm pressure placed on each breast.
The standard screening examination requires a minimum of two pictures of each breast. Women, especially those between 40 and 49 years of age, should discuss the benefits and risks of mammogram screening with their health care providers.
Breast Cancer Prevention
A large study has shown that tamoxifen lowers the risk of getting breast cancer in women who are at elevated risk of getting breast cancer. Beginning menopause at a later age increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.
Diet and Lifestyle: Diet is being studied as a risk factor for breast cancer. Breast feeding may also decrease a woman's risk of breast cancer. Alcohol: Drinking alcohol may be linked to increased breast cancer risk. Prophylactic Mastectomy: Following cancer risk assessment and counseling, the removal of both breasts may reduce the risk of breast cancer in women with a family history of breast cancer.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

just wanted to point out that the comments on here are awful. You might want to clean these up at some point so casual browsers like me can actually have a conversation.

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