How to Check for Breast Cancer at Home

 


Introduction

Do you know that there is a five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer patients? This dictates that if breast cancer is detected early in the most localized stage, 99% of the chances are that patients can survive properly and come out of it. 

There has been a significant improvement among patients when undergoing early detection through breast self-exams and regular scheduling. 

In this blog article, we are going to learn more about breast cancer and how its detection can help you easily survive it. Be it at home or at a hospital, one must be aware of it as there is a huge survival rate associated with it. 

Understanding Breast Cancer

This is a type of cancer which starts propagating in a particular breast region and spreads to the nearby area. A malignant tumour also known as a group of cancerous cells is encountered in the presence of breast cancer. 

This disease mostly occurs in women but men might get affected by it too. 

Risk Factors and Symptoms of Breast Cancer 

Multiple risk factors can aggravate and increase the chances of its further development. There are a combination of factors that affect women, making them prone to having it. These are- 

1. Gender- The ratio of this cancer existence is 100:1. This indicates that there is a very high chance that it only affects women but in rare times men may get affected by it too.


 2. Age- it has been seen that older women are more prone to develop this cancer. Going being the age of 55, the chances of being affected are high. 


 3. Genetics-- There are 5 to 10% of cases that are linked to their genetic composition. This is usually due to having a genetic mutation within generations. 


 4. Family history- Breast cancer has been commonly found among close relatives who share blood relations. 


 5. Personal history of breast cancer-A person who has already been affected by this cancer once again has a chance of getting affected again or multiple times. 


 6. Menstrual periods- Irregularity in breast cancer can also aggravate the occurrence of breast cancer. This may also happen as there are constant hormonal fluctuations.


 7. Birth control- Women who often take contraceptive pills or opt for birth control pills have a high chance of getting affected by this cancer. 


8. Breastfeeding -Lowering breastfeeding can also increase the chances of developing breast cancer. This is because a lot of hormones remain inactivated and thus create additional problems in the breast.


 Self-Examination  for Breast Cancer 

Steps to perform a breast self-exam


There are multiple ways to check whether someone is suffering from breast cancer through Visual cues such as changes in size, shape, and texture.


  • One can look for the new changes that might be occurring in the breast such as the shape, size and symmetry.

  • Another indication is by checking the nipple size and observing whether it may turn in or not.

  • By pressing down some areas of the breast, one can also check the emergence of breast cancer 

  • There might be mammary ridges which are also known as milk lines that show the presence of breast cancer. 


When and how often to perform self-exams


There are two main types of examination which include skin self-exams and breast self-exams.

The best way to have a skin self-exam is by checking changes in skin color while also checking the dimpling and puckering, or an orange peel-like appearance on the breast.

Another test is breast self-exam (BSE). This is performed by checking down with three fingers on the breast and circulating down the hands by putting a little pressure on the breast. If any sort of lumps, knots, or thickening is observed then this might be an indication of breast cancer development. 



 Recognizing Symptoms

  • There are common symptoms that can be checked if the breast cancer is developed or at what stage is the cancer.

  • The presence of lumps or any kind of thickening in the areas of the breast can be one indication.

  • Certain changes like redness, pain and flakiness on the breast skin in the nipple area can be another factor.

  • Change in the shape, or appearance or the irregular size of the breast may also indicate its presence.

  • A liquid discharge through the breast also indicates a sign where the development of cancerous cells happens. 



Breast Cancer Diagnosis at Sohana Hospital, Mohali. 


Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC)

This is a technique that involves needles to carry out the aspiration of cells which helps detect suspected mass or tissue. This is often fetched using fine gauge needles. This technique is often based on observing tumours by understanding less cohesive cells which are easily aspirated. 


Mammography

This is a basic x-ray technique that is used to check breast-related conditions. It is used to check the presence of breast cancer symptoms. This helps in detailed diagnosis by creating images that help in finding changes through screening. This technique can help in providing 3D images in depth and can help in breast cancer analysis. 


Sono Mammography

It is a technique that involves an ultrasound of the breast. It is a non-invasive imaging test that helps create great-resolution images. Thu it is safe and effective to detect any kind of lump or any solid structure. This also helps in finding abnormalities in mammography reports. 


Advanced PET CT Scan

The  PET SCAN test stands for Positron Emission Tomography Scan which involves nuclear medicine imaging technique. This is an advanced technique that helps determine to which extent the cancer is going to spread. This is usually performed to check and see how the body responds to the treatment given for breast cancer. thus, by providing precise images of cells it provides high clarity to perform early diagnosis of breast cancer.


Blood Tumor Markers

There are many kinds of markers available to detect breast cancer patients. Some famous breast tumour markers are listed below- 

  • CA 15-3 and CA 27-29

  • Ki-67 protein

  • P53 mutations

  • Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)


Conclusion

Therefore, to check or detect whether someone is affected by breast cancer or is on the verge of developing it, one must perform a self-examination. 

Since, self-examination will not be enough for doing in-depth analysis, professional treatment would be required to treat it with the right diagnosis. 

At Sohana Hospital, we offer world-class treatment for breast cancer. We focus on bringing advanced and highly technological treatment, making people heal at early stages. Offering one of the breast cancer treatments in Mohali and Chandigarh, we provide high accuracy and an ancillary support system for all our treatments.

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