October is breast cancer awareness month and I wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone about breast cancer screening, prevention and early detection. Some risk factors for breast cancer include aging, obesity, diet, lifestyle and genetics.
Proper diet and exercise are helpful in the prevention of breast cancer. Breast cancer screening involves monthly self examination, a physical examination by your physician and yearly mammography. Do not underestimate the importance of self breast exams. When done over and over you will become accustomed to your own breast composition. Therefore increasing your ability to find early lumps, which if diagnosed as cancer early, have a better prognosis. If you are a menstruating woman this should be done just as your period is ending once every month in the shower. If you do not get a period, pick a date in the month that will be easy to remember and do it on that date every month. This is the most important part of the breast cancer screening process.
Proper diet and exercise are helpful in the prevention of breast cancer. Breast cancer screening involves monthly self examination, a physical examination by your physician and yearly mammography. Do not underestimate the importance of self breast exams. When done over and over you will become accustomed to your own breast composition. Therefore increasing your ability to find early lumps, which if diagnosed as cancer early, have a better prognosis. If you are a menstruating woman this should be done just as your period is ending once every month in the shower. If you do not get a period, pick a date in the month that will be easy to remember and do it on that date every month. This is the most important part of the breast cancer screening process.
Do not forget to see your gynecologist yearly for your physical examination. If you are 35 years old you should get a baseline mammography. If you have risk factors like a strong family history of breast cancer you should talk to your doctor about starting earlier.
There have been significant advances in early detection of breast cancer which has greatly reduced breast cancer mortality. If you would like more information about breast cancer screening, treatment or rescources go to http://www.komen.org/
There have been significant advances in early detection of breast cancer which has greatly reduced breast cancer mortality. If you would like more information about breast cancer screening, treatment or rescources go to http://www.komen.org/
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