Health Articles: Dieting, Hair Loss, Health Insurance, etc.

Breast cancer is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. In 2005 502,000 people died worldwide as a result of this cancer. Worldwide, more people are diagnosed with breast cancer than any other cancer except for lung cancer and it is the fifth most common cancer overall. While these statistics are alarming, there are ways to keep yourself as safe as possible from this terrible disease.

A lump in the breast is often the first sign of this disease. The lump generally feels different from the surrounding breast tissue. You should immediately see your physician if you discover a lump. Your physician will follow up with appropriate tests and examinations, such as a mammogram, to determine the nature of the lump.

Other symptoms might include changes in the size or shape of the breast, a dimpling of the skin on the breast, an inverted nipple, or nipple discharge. Breast pain should also be checked by a doctor because even though it doesn't usually mean breast cancer, it might be symptomatic of another problem.

While these symptoms sometimes lead to the discovery of cancer you should not become alarmed if you exhibit these symptoms. Most of these symptoms do not turn out to be cancer related. That does not mean, however, that you should not have yourself checked when exhibiting these symptoms. It simply means you should not become alarmed until you have further information.

Should you be diagnosed with breast cancer, what is the next step? What is the sequence of events? Many treatment options are available and your physician will review them with you. Some women are reluctant to seek medical treatment for symptoms because they fear a possible mastectomy. However, a mastectomy is not necessarily the treatment of choice, so do not let this stand in your way of obtaining medical care.

Although breast cancer is a scary topic, the good news is that the disease is very treatable with modern medicine. Performing self-exams on a monthly basis in addition to the routine screening exams provide a much better opportunity to catch the disease early, before it becomes life threatening. There are many support services for victims of breast cancer, including local support groups.