Be alert to the attack of breast cancer and take precautions in advance

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women and is a major threat to women's health. Not only does it often have an insidious onset, but the incidence has been increasing year by year in recent years. In addition, the early symptoms are not obvious, which makes it easy for patients to miss the best time for treatment. Once it enters the late stage, it is not only difficult to treat, but the cure rate is also greatly reduced, which brings a heavy burden to patients and their families, and even threatens their lives. Therefore, early detection and treatment are the key to improving survival rates. It is crucial to understand how to prevent and identify the early signs of breast cancer.

1. Risk factors for breast cancer

Age: The risk increases with age, especially in women over 50.

Genetics: Family history or specific gene mutations (such as BRCA1 and BRCA2) may increase your risk.

Lifestyle: Unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, and excessive alcohol consumption can all be risk factors.

Breast tissue density: Women with dense breast tissue have a higher risk of breast cancer.

Hormone levels: Abnormal hormone levels, such as high estrogen levels or low progesterone levels, may increase the risk of breast cancer.

Environmental factors: Exposure to radioactive substances or chemicals, such as long-term exposure to estrogen drugs, radiation, etc., may also increase the risk of breast cancer.

How to prevent and identify early signs of breast cancer

Breast lumps or changes in lumps: The appearance of a hard or irregularly shaped lump in the breast, or changes in an existing lump, should be a cause of concern.

Nipple discharge: Nipple discharge can be an early sign of breast cancer, especially if it is bloody or bloody.

Breast skin changes: If the breast skin shows abnormal conditions such as dimpling, wrinkling, redness, swelling, itching or hardening, you need to pay attention to it in time.

Nipple abnormalities: Changes in the shape, color, or size of the nipple, or inverted nipples, may be early signs of breast cancer.

Breast pain: Long-term, persistent or cyclical breast pain, especially unilateral breast pain, may also be a sign of breast cancer.

Breast swelling: Breast swelling, congestion, enlargement, or discomfort, especially unilateral breast swelling, should be a cause for concern.

Swollen lymph nodes: Swollen lymph nodes in the armpits or under the collarbone may be a sign that breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.

If any of the above breast abnormalities are found, especially if they persist or change significantly, it is recommended to seek medical attention for further examination and diagnosis. Regular breast self-examination and breast screening are also important means of early detection of breast cancer. Female friends should develop the habit of regular examinations to detect and treat breast cancer in a timely manner.

3. Preventive measures for breast cancer

1. Regular breast self-examination: Regular breast self-examination is one of the important means to detect breast cancer early. Women can perform self-examination after menstruation in the following ways:

Gentle massage: Use your fingers to gently massage the surface of your breast to check for any unusual lumps or lumps.

Observe the breasts: Pay attention to whether the breasts have abnormal conditions such as deformation, skin changes, nipple discharge, etc.

Nipple compression: Gently squeeze the nipple and watch for discharge, especially if it is bloody.

2. Regular breast screening:

Mammography (mammography or mammography): It can detect abnormal density and nodules in breast tissue.

Breast ultrasound examination: can detect nodules, cysts, etc. in breast tissue.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): For high-risk groups or when there is a suspected tumor, MRI examinations can provide more detailed imaging information.

3.Diet conditioning:

Reduce the intake of high-fat, high-calorie foods and avoid excessive intake of animal fats and processed foods.

Maintain a varied diet by increasing the proportion of healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and fish.

Control your salt and sugar intake, and limit your intake of processed foods and sugary drinks.

Maintaining a good diet can help reduce the risk of breast cancer.

4. Lifestyle Adjustment:

Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption: Avoid long-term heavy drinking and smoking, as the chemicals in alcohol and tobacco have adverse effects on breast tissue.

Moderate exercise: At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as brisk walking, swimming, and cycling, can help reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Keep a happy mood: Reducing stress and maintaining a good mental state will help improve immunity and body resistance.

Regular work and rest schedule: Maintaining adequate sleep time and good work and rest habits helps maintain good health.

In conclusion, although breast cancer is a serious disease, the risk of developing it can be greatly reduced by understanding the risk factors and taking appropriate preventive measures. The most important thing is to remain vigilant and have regular checkups. Regardless of whether the above risk factors exist, every woman should have regular breast examinations for early detection and treatment. Finally, we must realize that breast cancer is not an invincible "enemy". With the advancement of medical technology and the improvement of social awareness, we have more "weapons" to fight this disease. The information in this article is for reference only. If you have any health problems, please consult a professional doctor.

Author: Cao Yanna, Lingshou County People's Hospital, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province