by Anne Penny

Created on: May 05, 2009

It is important for all women to make themselves aware and alert to the symptoms of breast cancer. Symptoms can vary a great deal and the warning sign isn't necessarily a lump. Women should make a regular self-exam at least once a month so that they become familiar with the normal look and feel of their breasts. They will then be better able to detect any changes that occur.

SYMPTOMS

* The most common first sign of breast cancer is a lump that you can feel, which may be painless.

* Shape change of the breast; dimpling or enlargement.

* An area of thickened breast tissue.

* Discharge from the nipple, or any change in the nipple.

* Breast pain

* Itching sensation in the breast.

* Enlargement of lymph nodes in the neck or underarm.

Some of these symptoms may indicate a less serious, non-cancerous condition; a cyst or an infection could be the cause.

.If there is a positive diagnosis of breast cancer then various further tests would be performed to see if the cancer has already spread to other organs. At this point the cancer would be labelled with a "stage" from 1 to 4 to signify tumor size and effect on the rest of the body:

TREATMENT

Treatment aims at eradicating the cancer, or cancers, and the method chosen will depend on the size of the tumor and whether or not there is any spread of the disease to other sites in the body. The patient's age and general health will also be a consideration.

1 SURGICAL TREATMENT

* Partial mastectomy, or lumpectomy, is an operation where the cancerous tumor is removed conserving the breast itself.

* Mastectomy involves removal of the whole breast. A "simple mastectomy" means that only breast tissue is removed while a "modified radical mastectomy" is when the underarm lymph glands are removed as well as the breast.

The surgical treatment of breast cancer will often include the removal and testing of some of the lymph nodes to ascertain whether or not the cancer is present there which would increase the risk of the cancer spreading. If tests show the presence of cancer cells then the axillary lymph nodes would be removed.

2. NON SURGICAL TREATMENT

Following surgery for the removal of the breast cancer the oncologist will decide which additional treatment will be used and one, or a combination of the following will be given:

* Radiotherapy which is the use of radiation which will kill any cancer cells remaining in the breast after a partial mastectomy, or following a mastectomy if there was a large tumor or multiple tumors.

* Chemotherapy, injections

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