Knowing your breast health is important for every woman. Although men can also have breast cancer, it is a very rare occurrence. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer for women in Canada. That’s why it is important to personally know how your breasts look and feel like. You should be aware if there are any signs of changes especially when there is a sudden occurrence of lumps upon inspection.

The appearance of a new lump or mass in the breast is one of the most common signs and symptoms of breast cancer. If you felt a painless, hard and irregular shaped mass in your breast, this can most likely be cancer. But breast cancers can also be tender, round, soft and painless. That’s why getting yourself checked when an unusual lump or mass appears upon inspecting your breast is vital for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. You can also include getting yourself a regular screening test for breast cancer.

In 2019, there are an estimated 26,900 Canadian women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. 5,000 of which are estimated to die of it.  Studies show that 1 in every 8 women are expected to develop breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 33 who are diagnosed will die of it.

Early Signs of Breast Cancer

The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is huge, so taking precautionary measures before even getting one will help you in keeping your breast’s health in check. Here are some of the early signs and symptoms of breast cancer that you should look out for:

• Sudden swelling of a part of your breast or even all parts of it. Even if no lump is felt in the breast as long as there is swelling, this can be a sign of breast cancer.
• An occurrence of pain in the breast or the nipple
• When your nipple becomes retracted or is turning inward.
• There is a sudden discharge in the nipple even without you having breast milk.
• Having swollen lymph nodes can be a sign of breast cancer. There are times that the breast cancer can spread to the lymph nodes around the collar bone and under the arm and can lead to a lump or swelling in those areas, even before the tumour in the breast is big enough to be felt and be seen.

Although these symptoms can be due to a lot of other things, sickness or diseases, if you are experiencing any of these, you should get yourself check by a professional health care specialist on cancer and lumps. You can go to a walk-in clinic Thunder Bay to get yourself checked with the right diagnosis of your symptoms. Or better yet, you can consider online doctors if you can’t go to these clinics and hospitals right away. You can look for specialized doctors online with the right professional license and get a consultation for symptoms of breast cancer.

Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

Getting breast cancer may be due to a lot of reasons from genetics, to lifestyle and diet. Here are some of the factors that increase the risk of developing breast cancer:

1. Having a family member who has been diagnosed with breast cancer can increase your risk of developing one as well. If you have a family history of breast cancer, especially from a close relative like your mother, sister or daughter who have been diagnosed before having their menopause. Another factor is when a mutation on the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes is present.
2. Women over the age of 50 have an 83% risk factor for developing breast cancer.
3. Obesity and physical inactivity can cause women who are in their post-menopausal stage to develop breast cancer.
4. There is higher breast cancer for those who are taking hormone replacement therapy for more than 5 years.
5. Alcohol use can also trigger cancer cells from developing.
6. A previous experience of breast disorders with biopsies showing abnormal cells.
7. No full pregnancies or having to experience a full-term first pregnancy after the age of 30.
8. Beginning of menstruation at an early age.
9. Becoming obese. Eating unhealthy foods and going overboard with your weight can increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

Early prevention is always better than cure, especially for any type of cancer.  The early stages of breast cancer are still treatable. Living a healthy lifestyle would decrease the chance of getting these diseases and cancer. Eating with the right amount of nutrition that your body needs, as well as getting a regular check-up with your health physicians, and just being aware of your body can help in determining any sickness and diseases. Early diagnosis of breast cancers is vital for the treatment process and the risks that come with it. If you are starting to notice unusual pain in your chest area especially in your breast, call a doctor right away. Read more about what rocket doctor can do.