Understanding Breast Cancer Early

One of the most important yet often overlooked parts of self-care is understanding what’s happening inside your body. Breast health is something worth learning about early, so we can feel confident and in control.

What is breast cancer?

Following skin cancers, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in women. Please note, however, that, since everyone is born with at least some breast tissue, anyone can have this cancer. Cancer in and of itself is a type of growth that occurs when the genetic makeup of some cells has certain errors that cause the malfunctioning cell to divide and reproduce at rapid, unprecedented speeds, spreading the errors. This growth of cells becomes what is known as a tumor. These tumors can cause major damage to your breasts, both internally and externally. Sometimes, this results in needing surgery, chemotherapy, or a combination of both. 

As general medical technology gets better and better, survival rates are increasing rapidly. We are better able to diagnose earlier, perform surgeries with less complications, and understand the causes behind it. That said, understanding breast cancer as an individual is the greatest factor in your success. 

What causes breast cancer?

A growing branch of medical research, the exact causes for breast cancer is still unknown. Besides general health (exercise, diet, etc), breast cancer can be influenced by previous breast-related conditions (inflammation, complications while breastfeeding, etc), getting your period extremely young, and not reaching menopause for an extremely long time. All of these factors change the hormone balance in your breast area, making it more likely for cancer to grow.

There is also a growing discussion around the genetic factors that play into breast cancer. While it is true that some genetic influence can play a role (given that cancer is due to errors in your cells’ DNA), it is not a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Even if your mother or other closely related females in your family had breast cancer, you can easily not get it. And just because no one in your family has been diagnosed, doesn’t guarantee you will not be. That is why it’s so important to be on top of your symptoms.  

What are some symptoms?

Generally, symptoms are anything that looks drastically different from what your breasts normally look like. This can range from lumps and thickened skin in some areas, flat nipples, color changes that can look like bruises, shape or size changes, and skin issues, including peeling and flaking. If any of these symptoms persists for a long time (generally a few weeks), try to speak with a medical professional as soon as possible. 

What can I do to prevent it?

According to experts, it’s fairly improbable you can stop breast cancer from developing because it’s due to unseen factors. However, you can increase your chances of survival and not needing specialized therapies by doing regular “self-checks” every few weeks. These self checks help you get to know your breasts at their normal state, so you have a better chance of noticing when something’s off and how long it’s been that way. To perform these checks, simply use the pads of your fingers to gently but firmly massage the area on and around your breasts.