Importance Of Early Breast Cancer Screening and Self-Examination.

Breast cancer being leading cancer among females needs early detection and treatment to avoid the fatality caused by it. Breast cancer screening is one of the procedures done for the identification of breast cancer symptoms. Early detection can help you with better treatment options and better chances for survival. Regular screening for breast cancer is requisite because in most women it shows no symptoms. If it is left unnoticed it can spread to other parts and lead to many complications.

Your breasts change as you go through different stages of your life. It's important to learn what is normal for your breasts. This is called breast self-awareness. The key to breast self-awareness is knowing how your breasts normally look and feel. Self-examination helps you to notice any changes that are threatening to your health and helps to treat them early.

 Steps To Self Examine Your Breast.

• Look at yourself in the mirror with your shoulders straight and the arms on your hips.
• Look for any signs of wrinkles or folds, and check if the breasts are in the normal shape, size, and colour.
• Check if your nipples are inverted or normal
• Lift your breast to see if the ridges are symmetrical.
• Check for any rashes, redness, and swelling.
• Check if there is any lump or cyst growing.
• Now raise your arms and look for the above-mentioned changes.
• Also, check whether any fluid is coming out of the nipples.
• Feel your breast while lying down.
• Move your fingers while you are taking the shower.

If any of the above-mentioned signs or symptoms are detected, you should immediately consult a doctor. Women must start speaking to their doctor about breast cancer screening from the age of 40 years. It is suggested that women with an average risk should have a mammogram every 2 years from the age of 50–74 years.

Even though breast cancer screening cannot avert breast cancer, it can guide to detect breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat. Discuss with our cancer specialist at Guru  Cancer Center Madurai about which breast cancer screening tests are right for you, and when you should have them.

Reviewed By : Dr S G Balamurugan
Visit us @ cancer-treatment-madurai.com
Mail us: cancercentremadurai@gmail.com 
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Stages Of Breast Cancer And Disease Progression

Breast cancer is the most common type of female cancer. This type of cancer can occur both in men and female but more likely to occur in woman. Breast cancer is nothing but cancer that are formed in breasts. Breast cancer are mainly divided into two categories : Invasive and non invasive. While invasive cancer is a type of cancer which spread from breast ducts or glands to other parts, non-invasive cancer are types which do not spread from the original tissue.

Stages of breast cancer :

Breast cancer is mainly divided into five stages:

•  stage 0 
•  stage 1
•  stage 2
•  stage 3
•  stage 4

Stage 0 : 

This stage describes that the growth of cancer cells is not yet invasive in nature. The cancerous cells are found in the lining of the breast duct and are confined to those areas alone. The malignant cancer cells have not attacked the surrounding area or spread beyond. 

Stage 1 : 

 This stage marks the beginning of invasive cancer cells. This stage is further subdivided into 2.

In stage IA the invasive breast cancer cells measure up to 2 cm and the cancer cells have not spread outside the breast nor are lymph nodes involved.

In stage IB  :

a) The occurrence of tumour cells are absent in breasts but a lump of cancer cells not larger than 0.2 mm but nor larger than 2 mm are present in lymph nodes. 

b) Tumour is present in the breasts that are no larger than 2 cm along with cancer cells larger than 0.2mm but not larger than 2 mm in the lymph nodes. 

Stage 2 :

This stage is again subdivided into IIA and IIB.

In stage IIA

a,) Tumor is found in lymph nodes but is absent in breast.

b) Tumor which is almost 2cm or smaller has infected axillary lymph nodes

c) The tumour is which is larger than 2 cm but not larger than 5 cm that has not spread to axillary lymph nodes

In stage IIB 

a) Tumor larger than 2 cm but not larger than 5 cm, a lump of of cancer cells larger than 0.2 mm but not larger than 2 mm infects the lymph nodes.

b) Tumor cells are found in lymph nodes, they are larger than 2 cm but not larger than 5 cm.

c) Tumor has not spread to lymph nodes and is more than 5 cm in length.

Stage 3 :

This stage is subdivided into IIIA, IIIB and IIIC

In stage IIIA  

a) Tumor is found in lymph nodes but is absent in breasts.

b) Breast cancer cells larger than 0.2mm but not larger than 2mm, are found in lymph nodes. Tumors are more than 5 cm in length

c) Cancer cells are larger than 5 cm and are spread to axillary lymph nodes

In Stage IIIB 

a) Size of tumor can vary and it has spread to chest wall and skin of breasts

b) Cancer cells are likely to have spread to lymph nodes

In stage IIIC

a) There are no cancer cells in breasts. 

b) Cancer has spread to lymph nodes

Stage 4:

This stage is called advanced or metastatic stage. In this stage, cancer has become invasive and it has spread beyond the breast and to other organs such as lungs, liver, lymph nodes, brain, skin, and bones.

Breast cancer can be dangerous. There are several breast cancer treatment hospitals in India. Guru Cancer Treatment Center, is one of the best breast cancer treatment hospitals in Madurai. Right knowledge about the diseases helps in early detection of the disease. Breast exam, mammogram, breast ultrasound, biopsy, MRI are few of the breast cancer diagnosis methods. If you are hunting for the best breast cancer diagnosis in Madurai or for Mammography in Tamil Nadu, Guru hospital is the right place. The specialization and expertise of our doctors make us the best breast cancer treatment in Tamil Nadu.

Visit us @ cancer-treatment-madurai.com
Mail us: cancercentremadurai@gmail.com 
Book an appointment : cancer-treatment-madurai.com/book-appointment.html