Due to work pressure, unhealthy lifestyle and other reasons, the youthfulness of cancer in China has spread quietly long ago. Breast cancer, which is a very high incidence rate for women, is also a killer for young girls of wonderful age.
I. How does breast cancer develop?
The age of onset of breast cancer in China is mainly concentrated around 40 to 45 years old, while the first peak for foreign women is from 45 to 50 years old, and then gradually declines to the second peak at 60 years old. Although the real cause of breast cancer is not yet fully understood, its development is related to a number of factors such as genetics and fertility.
Prevalent groups
The following groups are 1.3 to 3 times more likely to develop the disease than normal people.
1. Those whose age of menarche is less than 12 years old or whose age of menopause is greater than 55 years old.
2. Those whose first child is older than 35 years old, or those who have not given birth or are not breastfeeding after giving birth.
3.Short menstrual cycle, indicating a long duration of estrogen action.
4. High estrogen level after menopause or using estrogen replacement therapy.
3. The earlier the detection, the higher the cure rate
In fact, breast cancer is not as deadly as other cancers, and the cure rate for early diagnosis is nearly 95%, and the survival period can be more than five years! Therefore, caring for yourself, early detection and treatment, and nip the tumor in the bud are undoubtedly the important measures to prevent and treat breast cancer.
Women can do this by asking their doctors to develop a clinical breast examination plan. Perform breast self-examination on the 10th day after the start of each menstrual cycle.
4. Changing bad habits is important!
Some of the factors for the development of breast cancer cannot be changed, such as age, family history, history of radiation treatment, age of menarche, etc. On the other hand, breast lesions caused by bad habits, excessive stress, irregular work and rest are traceable and can be improved!
Five, the four factors that cause breast cancer
1. Estrogen factor: The risk of breast cancer increases twofold for women who have had their menarche too early before the age of 12 or after the age of 55 after the late menopause. Women who have never had a child or have their first child after the age of 35 have a 3-fold higher risk of breast cancer. Oral contraceptives do not increase the chance of breast cancer, but if used for several years before the first pregnancy, they may have some effect on the development of breast cancer. It has also been reported that long-term use of hormone replacement therapy after menopause can increase the risk of breast cancer development.
2. Dietary factors: meat-based diet has a higher incidence than vegetarian-based women. Obese women are more likely to develop breast cancer, especially after menopause.
Genetic factors: Very few breast cancers are hereditary (about 1.5%), but if the mother or sister has suffered from breast cancer, the chance of breast cancer is 2 to 3 times higher than the general population. Some studies have also shown that breast cancer may also be inherited from the father.
4. Benign breast diseases, such as cystic hyperplasia and breast fibroids, have the possibility of malignant transformation.
What are the early symptoms of breast cancer?
Early stage breast cancer often does not have typical symptoms and signs, so it is not easy to attract attention, and is often detected through physical examination or breast cancer screening. The following are the typical signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
Breast lumps: 80% of breast cancer patients are first diagnosed with breast lumps. Breast lumps are often found unintentionally, most of them are single, hard, with irregular edges and less smooth surface. Most breast cancers are painless lumps, only a few are accompanied by varying degrees of vague pain or stabbing pain.
Nipple overflow: If there is blood, plasma, milk or pus flowing from the nipple during the non-pregnancy period, or if there is still milk flowing even after stopping breastfeeding for more than half a year, it is called nipple overflow. There are many causes of nipple overflow, and common diseases include intraductal papilloma, breast hyperplasia, ductal dilatation of the breast and breast cancer. Unilateral single-hole hemorrhagic overflow should be further examined, and more attention should be paid if accompanied by breast lumps.
The most common one is that the tumor invades Cooper’s ligament which connects the breast skin and deep pectoral muscle fascia, causing it to shorten and lose its elasticity, pulling the skin of the corresponding area, resulting in “dimple sign”, i.e. a small dimple in the breast skin, like a small dimple. If the cancer cells block the lymphatic ducts, “orange peel-like changes” will appear, i.e. the skin of the breast will have many small dots and depressions, just like an orange peel. In advanced stage of breast cancer, the cancer cells infiltrate into the skin along the lymphatic ducts, glandular ducts or fibrous tissues and grow into the skin, forming scattered hard nodules around the main cancer site, which is called “skin satellite nodules”.
4.Abnormal nipple and areola: if the tumor is located in or close to the deep nipple, it may cause nipple retraction. If the tumor is far away from the nipple, it may also cause nipple retraction or elevation when the large ducts in the breast are invaded and shortened. Eczema-like carcinoma of the nipple, i.e. Paget’s disease of the breast, manifests as itching, erosion, rupture, crusting, flaking and burning pain of the nipple skin, resulting in nipple retraction.
5. Axillary lymph node enlargement: more than 1/3 of breast cancer patients admitted to hospitals have axillary lymph node metastasis. At the initial stage, the lymph nodes in the same side of the axilla may be enlarged, and the enlarged lymph nodes are hard, scattered and pushable. As the disease progresses, the lymph nodes will gradually fuse and adhere to the skin and surrounding tissues. In advanced stage, metastatic lymph nodes can be felt in the supraclavicular and contralateral axilla.
VII. How to prevent the development of breast cancer
1. Reasonable lifestyle: Every woman should establish a scientific lifestyle, to live a regular life, combine work and rest, and ensure sleep. Eat a balanced diet, less animal fat, fried and smoked food and sweets, quit smoking and alcohol, eat more yellow and green vegetables, fruits and vegetables, edible mushrooms and soy products. Consistently participate in sports and recreational activities to strengthen the mind and body. Advocate late marriage and family planning, marriage should not exceed 28 years old, children should not exceed 30 years old, do not encourage lifelong sterility. Do a good job of contraception, to prevent multiple abortions. After the birth of a child to breastfeeding.
2, should pay attention to have a good sex life: normal, harmonious, balanced and regular sex life, not only can bring yourself physical and mental pleasure and pleasure, enhance the relationship between husband and wife, but also help to reduce the occurrence of breast hyperplasia and breast cancer.
3. Maintain psychological balance: bad emotion is the activator of cancer cells, while happy emotion is a wonderful remedy for cancer prevention. Therefore, women should learn to self-regulate and manage their emotions, and deal with interpersonal relationships, family, marriage and other emotional disputes and crises in a rational manner. Only with a relaxed spirit, it is conducive to psychological balance and physiological balance, and build up a defense line to block cancer.
4.Control obesity: For girls entering the puberty period, while meeting the nutrients needed for growth and development, the intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods must be controlled to avoid excess calories and result in obesity. Pregnancy and childbirth, after menopause should be more obesity prevention, maintain the appropriate weight, can reduce the risk of cancer.
5.Fertility factor: The more women have children and the longer they breastfeed, the lower the risk of breast cancer. If a woman has 5 children in her lifetime, one every 2 years, and each child is breastfed, then the incidence of breast cancer in this woman will decrease by 50% or more.