Every year, we celebrate the month of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. People from all over the world join to show their support to people affected by this disease. Various charitable organizations around the globe organize annual campaigns to raise awareness about Breast Cancer among the general population.
Know Your Lemons® Foundation, a non-profit organization, has set up a breast cancer awareness project teaching women about the symptoms and early process for detection of tumors. Not only that, they also accept donations to invest in educating women all around the globe about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.
We at Ocean Jewelry Store highly value optimal health and wellbeing and always strive to support important causes. As most of our Ocean Lovers know, we have an ongoing partnership with a charity that works to save the receding population of sea turtles and now we want to support this amazing cause too.
Awareness of breast cancer is of utmost importance. Hence, early diagnosis using simple self-screening methods allows better treatment of cancer with a high chance of success. That is why this month we are also donating a part of our profits to the Know Your Lemons® Foundation in support of this cause.
In addition, we have chosen the Sea Shell as our symbol for this fight. Seashell symbolizes femininity, positivity, health, and rebirth. We think it is the most beautiful representation of the power and strength of women. Therefore, this is a perfect ocean symbol to represent this cause.
Why is Early Detection and Diagnosis So Important for Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer affecting thousands of women across the globe. However, Dr. Catherine Tuite, the Chief of Breast Radiology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, says early detection of breast cancer allows patients to experience better outcomes. Survey has shown that early diagnosis treatment of breast cancer has a more than 93% survival rate.
Breast cancer is often characterized by early symptoms like a lump or mass near the mammary glands. But sometimes, breast cancer can remain undiagnosed due to the absence of any detectable symptoms. As a result, cancer research conducted over the years has developed screening guidelines to help people recognize early signs of breast cancer.
How Can You Recognize Early Signs of Breast Cancer?
Get familiar with the appearance of your body. In this way, any change in shape, color, or texture, or a new mass would be easy to detect. Thus, doctors insist that we regularly self-check, because breast cancer does not normally show any noticeable signs at the early stages.
Know the 12 Breast Cancer symptoms
Source: knowyourlemons.orgKnowing and understanding what signs to look for is extremely important.
Here are a few early breast cancer warning signs:
- Pain around the breast and nipple
- Lumps
- Nipple discharge
- Swelling, skin irritation, itchiness around the breast
- Redness and rash
- Lumps around the collar bone or underarm
The World Health Organization advises women to self-check and get regular professional screening from the age of 30. In addition, if someone in your family was previously detected with breast cancer, you should make it a priority. Take routine screening and risk assessment tests.
The early signs of breast cancer are often undetectable to the naked eye. Thus, experts often recommend getting regular mammograms and clinical breast exams by a health professional. It can help diagnose breast cancer even before the appearance of the first noticeable symptom.
A doctor would perform a few tests to diagnose the nature of the lump and the severity of the condition.
Physical examination: A doctor would examine your breasts, lymph nodes under the shoulder, and underarms. If he finds any abnormality, he will request you to get other tests to understand the condition better.
Mammogram: A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast and is probably the most effective test to diagnose breast cancer. This test can help differentiate between malignant and benign lumps on the breast.
Ultrasound: Ultrasonography is used to take an image of the breast tissues to understand the severity of the lumps.
MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan is another non-invasive examination that can help test the breast tissues.
Biopsy: Biopsy is an invasive test that takes a small amount of breast tissue to test under a microscope.
Recurrence of Breast Cancer: What Breast Cancer Survivor Should Know
Despite successful excision of the cancerous tumor from the breast, breast cancer can return. Recurrence can occur even when a small number of cancerous breast tissues remain after the initial treatment.
The symptoms of recurrent breast cancer are usually the same as the initial symptoms of Breast Cancer. Or you may notice new symptoms like a new lump on the breast or unusual thickening around the mastectomy scar. The treatment for recurrent breast cancer has a high success rate when detected early.
Wear The Pink Ribbon With Pride
Living with cancer, even after successful treatment, is not easy. We understand that the path to “back to normal” after a breast cancer diagnosis can be rocky. However, early diagnosis saves lives. Therefore spreading this information is the best way for us to help and make a difference.
We hope this article has helped you understand how to recognize the early signs of breast cancer and practice self-checks in a regular basis. . Our message to you is GO PINK! Because the best protection is early detection.
