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| Just the word
can be frightening, and
makes some people
think of death. but
what
is it, really? What happens in your body & why
is it so hard to diagnose and treat this disease?
The term cancer covers more than a hundred diseases
that share one trait, cells grow out of control & destroy
healthy tissues. It is important to know that nearly
9 million people alive today have history of cancer
New treatments are continually being developed.
Thus the fear you might feel when you learn that
a friend or relative has cancer can be tempered
with hope.
There are more than 100 different types of cancer
that can effect the body. Most cancers are treatable,
and research is constantly improving treatment
of all cancers. For women the most common type
is Breast Cancer.
Cells in the body normally divide at a steady,
even pace. New cells are formed to take the
place of old
and injured cells.
Sometimes, however, when cells divide and multiply
rapidly, they form a lump also called a tumor.
Nearly 80% of finding on mammogram are not cancer.
They are usually a benign tumors, a cyst or some
other non cancerous condition. A tumor is defined
as cancer only when it can invade near by tissues & organs
and damage them. Then it is called malignant. If
breast cancer spreads it usually shows up first in
the lymph nodes near the armpit. These nodes are
part of the lymphatic system, which, like the blood
circulation system, carries fluids through out the
system. The fluid known as lymph may carry cancer
cells to other parts of the body, where they can
start new tumors.
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| Few
types of Breast Cancer is found. |
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Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Inflammatory breast cancer is the
appearance of inflamed breasts (red and warm)
with dimples and/or ridges caused by the infiltration
of tumor cells into the lymphatics. Inflammatory
breast cancer can sometimes be difficult to
distinguish between benign (non-cancerous)
conditions (such as mastitis) and inflammatory
malignancy (cancerous conditions).
Though rare, inflammatory breast cancer may
spread quickly to other parts of the body.
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Paget’s Disease of the Nipple
Paget’s disease of the nipple
is a rare form of breast cancer that begins
in the milk ducts and spreads to the skin
of the nipple and areola. The skin may appear
crusted, red, or oozing.
Prognosis is better if nipple changes are
the only sign of the breast disease and no
lump is felt. |
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| ANOTOMY
OF THE NORMAL BREAST |
Each breast has six to nine overlapping sections
called lobes. Within each lobe are many smaller
lobules, which end in dozens of tiny bulbs
that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules and
bulbs are all linked by thin tubes called ducts.
These ducts lead to the nipple in the centre
of a dark area of skin called the areola. Fat
fills the spaces around the lobules and ducts.
There are no muscles in the breast, but muscles
lie under each breast and cover the ribs.
Each breast also contains blood vessels
and vessels that carry colourless fluid
called lymph. The lymph vessels lead to small bean-shaped structures called
lymph nodes. Clusters of lymph nodes
are found in the axilla (under the arm),
above
the collarbone, and in the chest. Lymph nodes are also found in many other
parts of the body. |
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| SYMPTOMS
OF BREAST CANCER |
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Mass or thickening in breast or armpit. |
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Marked asymmetry of the breasts, a change from normal. |
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Unexplained discolorations such as redness or bruising. |
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Ulceration on the breast. |
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Dimpling, puckering, or retraction of skin or areola. |
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Fixed inversion of nipple that is change from normal. |
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Scaling, crusting or erosion of the nipple o0r areola. |
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Changes in nipple direction. |
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Nipple discharge. |
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Changes in surface characteristics.` |
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| WHAT
ARE THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER? |
So who is at risk for
breast cancer? Risk assessment is a complicated
affair. When trying to determine risk of
breast cancer -- a multi-factored disease
-- the process is even more complex. What
we'll cover here are risk factors that are
widely accepted.
Most women who experience problems with
their breast may immediately think they
are at risk of cancer. Yet nine out of ten
breast problems are benign and in no way
related to cancer.
While the risk factors over which we have
little or no control (heredity, timing of
pregnancy, first and last menstruation)
all play a combined and synergistic role
in determining risk, they are a causative
force in only 30 percent of breast cancers
No one knows why some women , and even
some men get breast cancer and others don’t,
but certain factors increase the risk. Some,
such as |
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Age ( Breast cancer risk
increases with age and every woman is at
risk.)
Most breast cancers occur in women over
the age of 50. The median age for breast
cancer diagnosis is 64. Your chance of developing
breast cancer before age 50 is small. The
reason more women are getting breast cancer
in their 40s and 50s is because baby boomers
have inflated this age group. The fact remains
that older women are the group -- whatever
other risk factors are at play -- at highest
risk for breast cancer.
| Facts
to Consider
- You are never too young to develop
breast cancer! Breast self-exam
should begin by the age of 20.
- Breast cancer risk increases
with age and everywoman is at risk.
- Breast cancer is the leading
cause of cancer death in women between
the ages of 15 and 54, and the second
cause of cancer death in women 55
to 74.
- Only about 5 percent of breast
cancers occur in women under age
40.
- About 25 percent of breast cancers
occur in women under age 50 and
78 percent of women with breast
cancer are over 50.
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Race
White women are at higher risk of developing
breast cancer than non-white women, but
are less likely to die from it.
- African-American women have the highest
death rate from breast cancer of any racial
or ethnic group in the United States.
- Sixty-two percent of black women diagnosed
with breast cancer experience a five-year
survival rate, while 79 percent of white
women experience five-year survival.
- Socio-economic issues involved in Pakistan,
because access to high-quality health
care obviously translates into a higher
survival rate.
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Gender
(Link between Breast Cancer & the female
hormone estrogen) |
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Family history (If your
mother or sister has had B.CA, risk getting
B.CA rises)
A family history of breast cancer confers
a higher risk. However, while genetic predisposition
is a factor, only about 6 percent of breast
cancers are attributed to family history.
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BRCA-1 and BRCA-2
The deciphering of the human gene code
has already begun to affect medical treatment
of breast cancer. It's only a matter of
time before more sophisticated methods of
detection and more reliable means of prevention
make today's technology seem archaic.
One fairly recent advance in genetic molecular
research is the 1994 discovery and mapping
of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, inherited
genes that predispose women to early-onset
breast and ovarian cancer. When functioning
normally, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are thought to
be involved in repair of damage to cellular
DNA, protecting against tumor development.
Women who have mutations that cause these
genes to malfunction have a higher chance
of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
A blood test can determine if you have
BRCA mutations, and a prevention plan can
be mapped out should the test prove positive.
Cancer researchers still don't know what
makes these genes mutate. So far, the best
explanations focus on the interaction of
genetic predisposition and environmental
or lifestyle factors.
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Age at 1st child birth (Who
had their child at age of 30 or later)
A first pregnancy after the age of 30 is
considered late. While several pregnancies
earlier in life reduce the risk of breast
cancer, not many women are willing to use
early and multiple childbirths as a breast
cancer prevention method. |
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Age
of 1st menstruation & menopause.(
the earlier women begins menstruating ,
the higher her risk seems to be)
Clearly, you can't time the onset or disappearance
of your menstrual cycle. But you can modify
the effects of early menstruation and late
menopause. Some researchers believe that
by encouraging pre-menarchal girls to exercise
regularly, modify their diets, and consciously
limit their exposure to industrial chemicals,
they can delay the onset of their first
periods. Whether or not that is the case,
the earlier a woman begins having periods,
the more estrogen she is exposed to over
her lifetime and the higher her risk of
developing breast cancer.
Sixty-two percent of black women diagnosed
with breast cancer experience a five-year
survival rate, while 79 percent of white
women experience five-year survival.
Late menopause -- menopause
occurring after the age of 55 -- is also
a risk factor, due to the same greater lifetime
exposure to estrogen. Interestingly, women
who start their periods younger tend to
end them later, often adding about 10 years
to their menstruating life.
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| CONTROVERSIAL
RISK FACTORS |
| Some
other factors are suspected of affecting breast
cancer risk, but the studies of these factors
have had conflicting results. The following
factors are:- |
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Body Weight
The higher body-fat percentage a woman
has, the more estrogen her body produces.
The more estrogen, the greater the risk
of breast cancer. While we don't want to
promote a skinny ideal of health and beauty,
when it comes to breast cancer, mortality
rates are higher in women who are obese.
You can't change your height and body frame,
but exercise and a good diet go a long way
in reducing this risk factor.
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Long-Term Estrogen Replacement Therapy
Conflicting studies abound regarding estrogen
replacement therapy and hormone replacement
therapy.
Both therapies have been shown to reduce
heart disease and osteoporosis, which are
far more prevalent in the post-menopausal
woman than breast cancer. But other lifestyle
changes -- weight-bearing and aerobic exercise,
a healthy diet supplemented with soy foods,
and the supplemental use of natural progesterone
cream -- may be safer and just as effective.
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Stress
Chronic stress of the sort you experience
everyday, or stressful events -- those happenings,
regardless of whether they are positive
or negative, can seriously compromise your
body's immune system.
Natural killer (NK) cells, also known as
T-cells, patrol the body and kill cancer
cells before they proliferate. NK cells
are reduced during times of traumatic stress.
While there is little control over what
stress occurs in your life, you can learn
stress-reduction techniques that can raise
NK cell activity significantly.
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Diet
These are perhaps the most powerful risk
factors under our control. There is an overwhelming
amount of research linking diet and breast
cancer.
Study after study shows that a low-fat
diet, high in vegetables and fruits, that
is supplemented with soy and omega-3 fatty
acids provides potent protection against
many forms of cancer. In many studies, regular
exercise has been shown to significantly
lower the risk of developing breast cancer
by up to 60 percent.
| The
Body Fat/Estrogen Connection
Because of fat-induced elevation
of estrogen, women who follow a high-fat
diet or who have a higher body-fat
percentage tend to experience later
menopause. Dietary fat is something
that we can control. |
The food choices we make can reduce our
risk of breast cancer and other diseases.
Evidence continues to pour in from the
most respected sources that diet and cancer
are linked. The earlier you start being
nutritionally aware, the higher your protection
against not only breast cancer, but a wide
array of other lifestyle-related conditions
such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension,
obesity, arthritis, and auto-immune disorders.
You really are what you eat!
A number of studies have indicated that
dietary factors are the primary initiators
of many kinds of cancer, including breast
cancer. Likewise, nutrition is a key element
in prevention of cancer and it is one of
the factors over which we have the most
control.
A healthy diet, supplemented with a few
key nutrients, is probably the most potent
cancer prevention tool we have.
According to the National Academy of Sciences,
60 percent of all cancers in women may be
due to dietary and nutritional factors.
| Hormones
and Meat
It's estimated that more than
50 percent of beef and 90 percent
of chickens are given estrogenic hormones
to promote rapid growth.
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- What About Fats?
Dietary fat is one of the key risk factors
that has been linked to breast cancer.
Studies suggest that fat is not an initiator
of cancer, but rather a promoter.
It is thought that cancer-causing toxins
such as industrial chemicals and pesticides
tend to accumulate in the fatty tissues
of animals, including the fish, poultry,
beef, that we eat. We tend to store ever-growing
concentrations of these toxins in our
own fatty tissues, such as our breasts.
Estrogenic hormones given to livestock
to promote growth are also stored in fatty
tissues, affecting the body's hormonal
balance. This intake of fat is linked
to high meat consumption, since animal
sources of protein can be high in fat.
Dietary fat is only one factor in the
development of breast cancer, but it's
a significant one.
The latest research shows that it's not
so much the amount of fat in your diet
that affects your breast cancer risk,
as the kind of fat. Since most of us aren't
willing to develop extremely low-fat eating
habits (I know I'm not!), it seems much
more effective to change the kinds of
fats we eat.
The fats which is known as poly unsaturated
fat and found in margarine, corn oil,
soybean oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, mayonnaise,
and commercial salad dressings .
These oils not only have a negative effect
on cholesterol levels, they increase your
risk of breast cancer by more than 50
percent.
Olive oil is derived from what the Quran
referred to as the "Tree of Life."
In recent years, study after study has
concluded that olive oil protects against
both heart disease and cancer.
There's strong evidence suggesting that
substituting olive oil for other vegetable
and animal sources of fat can reduce risk
by about 50 percent, as compared to women
who used other fats.
The easiest way to add olive oil to your
diet is to use it as salad dressing. Add
a few spices and drizzle it over vegetables.
Any other food," proclaims Dr. Bob
Arnot in his book The Breast Cancer Prevention
Diet.
He recommends, with some caveats, fish
oil capsules, salmon, and other fatty
fish, as well as flax, to protect against
breast cancer.
Flax is the richest plant source of omega-3
fat and Dr. Arnot recommends about 25
grams per day, ground in sauces, in baked
goods, or sprinkled on salad. Flax seed
is the subject of intensive testing.
It has been noted to reduce tumor size
in women, according to a University of
Toronto researcher.
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Diet Tip
It's a good idea to cut
back on fats in your diet. When
you must use fats, use olive oil
as a substitute. To avoid gaining
weight -- remember that obesity
heightens risk -- cut back on
refined carbohydrates such as
white breads and desserts.
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- Other Culprits
Other substances that have been shown
to initiate or promote breast cancer are
listed below:
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Refined sugar raises insulin levels
and affects hormonal balance. |
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Caffeine puts stress on the adrenals
and reduces the body's immune strength.
While there has been no link found
between caffeine and breast cancer
-- or caffeine and breast lumps,
for that matter -- overuse of caffeine
causes bone loss and puts undue
stress on the body's first line
of defense against disease. |
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Trans-fats, which are created
when hydrogen is added to vegetable
oils in order to convert them from
a liquid to a semi-solid state,
have been directly linked to breast
cancer. Any food, especially margarine,
which contains partially hydrogenated
fat, can put the consumer at risk
for cancer and heart disease. |
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Alcohol, even in moderate amounts,
has been linked to a heightened
breast cancer risk. Alcohol also
raises estrogen levels. |
As we've seen, certain foods can suppress
the immune system. But there are also
foods that have the opposite effect.
An article in the New England Journal
of Medicine recommends a diet that consists
mostly of organic fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains, with little or no meat
for women who want to reduce their risk
of breast cancer.
Such a diet is rich in vitamins, minerals,
fiber, and phyto chemicals -- substances
that are found in plant-based food that
may provide protection against disease,
and are all needed to strengthen the immune
system.
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High-Protein Diets
Popular high-protein diets
recommend eating lots of meat
and are consequently fairly high
in fat. You may lose weight on
such a diet, but cancer researchers
say that consuming animal protein
beyond the body's needs can encourage
the growth of pre-cancerous lesions
and tumors.
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- Cancer-Fighting Nutrients
A number of nutrients are believed to
provide protection against cancer:
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Beta-carotene,
the precursor of Vitamin A, has
been found to protect against all
cancers, according to the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Beta-carotene
is found in all red, yellow, orange,
and leafy green vegetables. |
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Vitamin C is
vitally important to a healthy immune
system. It is found in citrus fruits
and many other fruits and vegetables,
such as cantaloupes, strawberries,
mustard greens, broccoli, sweet
peppers, and tomatoes. |
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Vitamin E is
a powerful anti-oxidant that protects
against environmental toxins. The
oxygen radical is the substance
that causes damage to genetic material.
Anti-oxidants such as vitamin E
protect against such oxygen free-radical
damage. |
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Selenium is
an essential trace mineral that
helps the body detoxify. A study
by the National Cancer Institute
found that daily doses of selenium,
along with vitamin E and beta-carotene,
reduced cancer deaths by 13 percent.
Selenium helps the body produce
glutathione, a strong anti-oxidant. |
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Garlic is known
to protect against cancer and other
illnesses, and garlic oil can inhibit
tumor activity. |
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Omega-3 fatty
acids are necessary for the proper
functioning of all tissue processes.
These fatty acids reduce the estrogen
booster effect more than any other
food. Omega-3 fatty acids are found
in fish such as salmon, sardines,
haddock, and cod. Vegetable sources
include evening primrose oil and
flaxseed oil. |
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Filtered water
reduces your exposure to the contaminants
-- chlorine, pesticides, bacteria,
and lead -- that are present in
nearly every municipal water system.
A relatively inexpensive household
filter can significantly reduce
these toxins. Distillers are also
highly effective. |
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Soy foods are
the staple protein source in Asia,
where women who eat traditional
diets have very low rates of breast
cancer as well as low incidences
of hot flashes and other symptoms
of menopause.
As little as one cup of soymilk
a day sharply reduces cancer risk
and a study of cancer- free women
in Singapore revealed that the women
ate about 55 grams of soy-based
foods a day. |
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Eat Your Vegetables
Diet rich in fruits and
vegetables and low in fat reduces
the risk of cancer. |
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Exercise habits (Are things
you can change)
Higher levels of physical activity may
reduce the incidence of some cancers. According
to researchers at Harvard, if the entire
population increased their level of physical
activity by 30 minutes of brisk walking
per day (or the equivalent energy expenditure
in other activities), we would observe a
15% reduction in the incidence of colon
cancer.
The association between exercise and breast
cancer is not as well defined. Women who
maintain consistently high activity levels
throughout their lives have a lower risk
of developing breast cancer than their inactive
counterparts.
Women who exercised during adolescence
and adulthood experienced the most significant
reduction in breast cancer risk.
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Hormones
Some studies have found a slightly increased
risk for women who take estrogen at high
doses or for long periods, but some studies
have found no increased risk for these women. |
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Late
or No Pregnancy
A first pregnancy after the age of 30 is
considered late. While several pregnancies
earlier in life reduce the risk of breast
cancer, not many women are willing to use
early and multiple childbirths as a breast
cancer prevention method. |
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Breastfeeding
If you never get pregnant, obviously you
won't be breastfeeding. If you do get pregnant,
however, breastfeeding can help prevent
breast cancer. The longer you breastfeed,
the lower your risk of developing breast
cancer, particularly if you're under the
age of 20. Breastfeeding also reduces your
risk of ovarian cancer.
The American Academy of Pediatricians
recommends that women breastfeed for at
least one year. Unfortunately, only about
15 percent of women in the United States
breastfeed for that long. The United States
also has some of the highest rates of breast
cancer in the world.
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Environment
It's impossible to avoid all environmental
toxins. Air pollution, chemical contamination
of the water, soil, and food sources, as
well as harmful electromagnetic waves, are
changing ecosystems at an alarming rate.
Every day, an estimated 100,000 chemicals
-- many new -- pour into our environment.
Researchers know that many of these contaminants
are carcinogenic. There are also increasing
numbers of immune-compromised individuals
who are at risk for all forms of disease,
including cancer.
Lifestyle changes can mitigate the risk
-- for instance, buying organic produce,
installing a good water filter, and using
organic household cleaning substances --
but it will take a concerted effort by informed
citizenry to pressure government and industry
to address this global issue.
Obviously, not everyone who's exposed
to the same environment develops cancer.
Cancer is caused by a combination of factors
in the environment and in a person's physical
make-up.
| Cancer
is caused by a combination of factors
in the environment and in a person's
physical make-up. |
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