An early detection goes a long way...

-


 

Breast Cancer is most common in women and has the second highest occurrence in India. The average incidence rate is around 6 lakhs in the rural areas. Women above the age of 50 are most susceptible to cancer.

It starts as cancerous cells present at the lining of a milk gland (lobule) in one of the breasts. This phenomenon is commonly known as lobular breast cancer.  Women should regularly conduct self-examination of the breast and on noticing any lump or change must consult the doctor if necessary. This will help facilitate early stage breast cancer treatment. If the cancer is diagnosed at the first stage, outcomes are better.

Most breast lumps are not cancerous. But few basic symptoms of breast cancer are:

  • A painless lump in the breast
  • A spontaneous discharge of blood from the nipple
  • Retraction or indentation of nipple
  • Redness or pitting of the skin over the breast
  • Mass below the arms
  • Changes in the size or shape of a breast
  • Dimpling or thickening of the skin on a part of a breast

There are certain risk factors that increase the chance of developing breast cancer. They are:

  • Ageing: The risk of developing breast cancer roughly doubles every 10 years.
  •  Location: The rate of breast cancer varies between countries, due to environmental factors.
  • HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy): Taking Hormone Replacement Therapy for several years increases risk of breast cancer.
  • Dense breast tissue: A highly dense tissue can increase the risk too.
  • History of benign diseases: If the person has a history of benign breast diseases, the risk of getting breast cancer increases.
  • Lifestyle factors: Signs such as lack of exercise, obesity after menopause and excess intake of alcohol can also add to the chances of getting breast cancer.

Hence it is important that all women must monitor and have constant checkups done for effective treatment at an early stage.  With the combined effort of our volunteers and MGM doctors and nurses we visit different villages and conduct check-up camps to eradicate this disease.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Building back better for the next normal

-
Image
  Access to   a healthcare facility is vital for good health, but people in rural areas face several healthcare access barriers. Hence, they are unable to achieve the best health services. Currently, the COVID-19 stigma has worsened the situation in rural India. Due to the lack of proper awareness, people in the rural areas have a misconception that healthcare professionals are sources of infection and they will force people to be removed from their families into quarantine centers. So, they limit their ability to obtain the care they need from healthcare professionals. This not only increases COVID-19 cases but also lags in recovery and progress. Despite all these COVID-19 challenges, the commitment and innovative spirit of GeBBS Foundation volunteers remain steadfast. Together they have taken various approaches to prevent cervical cancer as well as spread awareness on the pandemic trajectory in the rural areas. The volunteers even during these difficult times visited different vill
Read more

Continuous attention on cervical cancer prevention

-
Image
  Precancers grow very slowly, hence getting screened regularly will prevent precancers from becoming cervical cancer. Screening for cervical cancer is recommended at the age of 25 and it should be done every 5 years. Cervical cancer is very rare before the age of 25, hence women between the age group 25-65 years should do their PAP test at regular intervals. The goal of cervical cancer screening is to find precancers early so that they can be treated before they develop into cancer. Screening can also find cervical cancer at an early stage when it is easier to treat. There are 2 types of the cervical cancer screening test, they are: The HPV test looks for infection by high‐risk types of HPV that are more likely to cause precancers and cancers in the cervix. The Pap test looks at the cells taken from the cervix to find changes that might be cancer or precancers. For women living in low-income settings with limited financial, cultural, or and lack of quality medical care it is d
Read more

Fighting COVID-19 and Cervical Cancer Together

-
Image
  Healthcare and medical aid is at times weak in rural India.   In many areas there are no formal hospitals and clinics in rural places hence, they mostly have to depend on untrained healthcare workers. Over two-thirds of these rural health providers have no medical training. But these providers are the only medical support for most of the rural population. Now the COVID-19 stigma has worsened the situation in rural India. Due to the lack of proper awareness, people in the rural areas have a misconception that healthcare professionals are sources of infection and they will force people to be removed from their families into quarantine centers. These quarantine centers are viewed with suspicion and fear. This not only increases COVID-19 cases but also lags in recovery and progress. The challenge of COVID-19 has shown us the importance of good health. So, despite all the COVID-19 challenges, the commitment and innovative spirit of GeBBS Foundation volunteers remains steadfast. Togethe
Read more