All About Breast Cancer: Critical FAQs

 

 Understanding your body helps so that you can make informed decisions, have a better dialogue with your health care professional, and notice when something’s not quite right. In breast cancer CME, the anatomy will be referenced constantly, because knowing the different parts and functions will better help you and others like you in your breast cancer exploration and recovery journey.

What is Adipose Tissue?

This is the collection of fat cells in the breast. It goes from across the middle of the ribcage, up toward the underarm, and extends across to the collarbone.

What are Lobes, Lobules, And Milk Ducts?

There are about 12-20 sections in a healthy female breast called lobes. Each is made of many smaller lobules. These are glands that produce milk for nursing babies. Both the lobules and lobes are connected to the milk ducts. The milk ducts act like stems and carry the milk to the exit points, which are the nipples. These structures are where cancer typically begins to develop.

Is There Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer?

You can test for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, the presence of which does increase your odds of developing breast cancer, but it’s unlikely you will have either. Only .25% of people carry this gene. There are some that run a higher risk, though, like if it’s something that runs in your family. Ethnicity also plays a role.

What Are Some Breast Cancer Symptoms?

Notify a health care professional if you experience any of the following:

·        tenderness or a lump or thickening near or in the underarm or breast area

·        a change to the skin texture or pore enlargement in the skin around the breast

·        a lump in the breast area

·        change of the size or shape of the breast

·        breast swelling or shrinking, especially if it’s only on one side

·        inverted nipples or dimpling anywhere on the breast

·        skin changes like the area becoming scaly, red, swollen, or pitted

·        any nipple discharge, particularly clear or bloody discharge

Can Cancer Be Present Without Symptoms?

Yes, even if you’re not experiencing symptoms, it’s important that you’re routinely checked. Screenings are critical, even if they’re only giving you a baseline for future examinations. Also, when taking your information, your doctor will ask about your personal and family medical history, along with performing the physical examination.

 

Knowing this information is essential for your health. Consider enrolling in breast cancer CE courses to learn more.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FAQs About Breast Cancer in Males

Image
Breast cancer is commonly thought of as a woman's disease. But, it's crucial to learn that even though they don't have milk-producing tissues, men are still at risk of it.  Due to lack of awareness, it's often discovered at its later stage, which makes it harder to treat. To spread awareness and knowledge of this disease, here are answers to 4 FAQs about breast cancer in males.   How Common Is Breast Cancer in Males ? Research shows that 1% of breast cancer patients are men. But, because the disease is so common, that still amounts to 2,000 cases in the United States every year. For males, the lifetime risk of getting this ailment is approximately 1 in 883. There's little information on male breast cancer, and the current treatment is still based on what experts have learned from curing women. But, with comprehensive research and oncology CE, doctors are learning more about how to deal with these cases. What Are the Risk Factors? Although...
Read more

5 Types of Hepatitis: A, B, C, D, E

Image
There are 5 different hepatitis viruses (A, B, C, D, and E). Each belongs to its own virus family, and each is genomically distinct, having unique replication strategies. Along with differences in transience, they differ in their mechanism for infection. Learn more about them below. Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) HAV is transient and transmitted oro-faecally. Exposure typically happens by eating or drinking something contaminated with the virus. A sick person will then pass it through their stool. It’s rampant in countries with poor sanitation systems, where infected stool can contaminate an entire water supply. You can reduce your risk of infection by using good hygiene practices and avoiding contaminated food and water (drink bottled water, for instance). The best defense is to have the HAV vaccine. If you’re traveling, you definitely need this vaccination.   Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) HBV is transient or chronic and transmitted by the parenteral route, meaning it moves throu...
Read more