The prevalence of breast cancer occurrences today make it likely that, during their lifetimes, most people will either battle breast cancer themselves or know someone who will (or has already). Whether you are male or female (males can suffer from breast cancer as well), and whatever your age may be, it’s important to have a working understanding of the implications of breast cancer. You can learn the story of cancer winning patients from here – psychokinesis.co.il.
Be aware of possible symptoms, understand the advantages and disadvantages of different treatment options, and proactively engage with your communities and medical professionals to raise awareness. These steps will help you whether you ever face a breast cancer possibility yourself or you walk with a friend, family member, or acquaintance through a breast cancer experience. Included in this article are the basics of screenings and treatment so that you’re equipped to navigate breast cancer topics knowledgeably as the need arises.
Breast Cancer: Various Options for Screening and Treatment
Medical interventions related to breast cancer fall into two categories. First, screening procedures are either routine or diagnostic methods of discerning whether breast cancer is present in an individual. Second, if an instance of breast cancer is detected, a few different treatment methods exist that may be employed depending on the details of the case. In both categories, it’s important to know the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
Screening
Though initial or routine screening exams are often conducted by a doctor through manual manipulation and observation alone, a heightened risk for breast cancer can often prompt the use of more thorough screening methods or tools to check for breast cancer.
A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan is one option for checking an individual for the presence of breast cancer. MRI scans are produced through the use of magnets and the emittance of precise radio waves generated by a computer. MRI’s are often more expensive than mammogram tests (below), but do not employ x-ray technology (like mammograms do) and are considered marginally safer than mammograms.
Alternatively, a mammogram is a screening method that employs x-ray waves to compile an internal scan of one or both breasts. Screening mammograms are usually delivered in routine check-ups and, if a heightened risk exists or if a screening mammogram result is obscured or questionable, a doctor may order a diagnostic mammogram to be completed as well to confirm results. Mammogram tests use small amounts of radiation and are thus not unsafe when used infrequently and are much cheaper than conducting an MRI scan.
Treating Occurrences of Breast Cancer
In the event that breast cancer is detected in a patient, a number of considerations factor into deciding on the best treatment plan. Many types of cancer treatment exist and, for everyone involved in the decision (from medical personnel to the patient and important family members), it’s important to understand their nuances. While some can be non-invasive, most cancer treatments are fairly intensive and have the potential to be costly, difficult, and damaging. It’s vitally important to understand each one and how it compares with other options.
Chemotherapy is a chemical or pharmacological treatment method. This involves the patient taking drugs that attack or inhibit cancer cells. This method may be prescribed in addition to other treatment options as well.
Surgery involves removing part or all of the infected breast(s). Sometimes it is possible to surgically remove cancer cells without removing the entire breast. When the cancer cells have amassed in a large area or in a way that could present complications, a mastectomy(ies) or removal of all breast tissue is usually advisable to avoid the surgery being ultimately ineffective.
Radiotherapy or radiation involves the use of x-ray technology to apply carefully calculated, high-powered x-rays to cancer cells. This form of cancer treatment can be invasive and damaging and is often only applied to more severe or advanced cases.
Some of the most common types of treatment for breast cancer are listed here, but medical professionals will be able to suggest the treatment options most fitting for your individual case and will be able to provide much more in-depth information.
Next Steps for You
No matter what your connection to breast cancer might be – whether you are a current patient; a survivor of a previous case; a friend, family member, or advocate; or a young adult with no close connections that you know of, there are ways you can be proactive about both your own health and the health of those around you to help prevent and mitigate the harmful effects of breast cancer.
Educate Yourself on Possible Symptoms
The symptoms of breast cancer can include, amongst other things, irregularities of any kind on or around the breasts or underarms. They can often be subtle and might not be noticed unless looked for intentionally. Knowing what signs to look for can make the difference between catching a cancer occurrence early and it being allowed to spread and grow for months or years before being noticed and treated.
Be Proactive in Getting Checked and Screened
Personal checks won’t catch all instances of cancer. It’s important to make screenings by a health professional part of your regular health care regimen, even if at infrequent intervals. Ask your doctor what frequency he or she would recommend for your screenings based on your age and family health history.
Be Vocal
It’s not enough for you to be informed. Breast cancer awareness is hugely important and should be able to be shared freely amongst friends, family members, and others across all spectrums and experiences. It’s an act of care to make sure the important people in your life and community know what they need to know to stop breast cancer early.
Utilize Your Resources
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with breast cancer, be diligent about getting answers from medical personnel involved in the case. Ask questions, read research, and reach out to support organizations who are waiting to help you. There are lots of resources available for those affected by breast cancer if you look for them and seek them out.
