Friday, October 8, 2010

Four Secrets About Breast Cancer


1.THE MONEY SPENT ON RESEARCH INTO BREAST CANCER IS NOT ENSURING THAT LESS WOMEN GET BREAST CANCER.

Are fewer women suffering from the devastating effects of breast cancer?In the UK, from 1993-2004, breast cancer incidence has increased 18.5%, that is 1% per year. 45,500 women were diagnosed in 2005, which equates to 125 women every day. Worldwide more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Breast cancer survival rates have improved. Every year more than 12,300 women and 70 men die from breast cancer. Since the peak in the late 1980s breast cancer death rates have fallen by a third. Breast cancer drugs have helped to save women’s lives but, as with any drugs, can have long-term side affects. Women in the UK are offered breast screening by mammogram every three years from the age of 50. This is because breast cancer is still more common in women over 50 but also because the breast tissue of younger women is denser and, therefore, makes it more difficult for a mammogram to pick up on a potential breast lump.Based on my experience during my breast health talks, very few younger women check their breasts. For a younger woman it is even more important to check her breasts from her mid-twenties as breast cancer in younger women is usually much more aggressive as the breast cancer cells can multiply more rapidly than in older women. Breast cancer is the biggest killer of women aged 35-54, which means it makes sense for women in this age bracket to do everything they can to protect their breasts.

2. YOU ARE AT RISK OF GETTING BREAST CANCER EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE IT IN YOUR FAMILY.

Amongst the hundreds of women I have talked to about breast health, the vast majority were under the false impression that breast cancer is primarily hereditary. They were surprised to hear that fewer than 10% of cases occur to women who have breast cancer in the family.Age – breast cancer is more common in women over 50.Alcohol – over-consumption increases the risk of breast cancerAcknowledged risk factors account for around 50% of breast cancer cases. Oestradiol levels higher in British women by: Age 35 – 44 36% Age 45 – 54 90% Age 55 – 64 171%.As we know, billions of pounds are raised every year worldwide in the name of breast cancer and most of this money is received by the mainstream breast cancer charities. Let’s first take a look at the mainstream breast cancer charities in this country, namely Cancer Research UK (who obviously deal with all cancers), Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Campaign and Breast Cancer Care.Cancer Research UK has done a huge amount of research into breast cancer and their website has a wealth of useful information with a lot of detail on breast cancer. Cancer Research UK is looking trying to prevent breast cancer in women known to be at high risk of developing it (approx 10% of sufferers). Breakthrough Breast Cancer supports a programme of cutting-edge biological research to reach their vision of ‘a future free from the fear of breast cancer’. Breakthrough set up the UK’s first dedicated breast cancer research centre in 1999, the Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre. Breast Cancer Campaign cites its mission is to beat breast cancerby funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure. Campaign’s breast cancer research gap analysis document has been published by the open access journal Breast Cancer Research. It involved around 60 of the key breast cancer scientists in the UK.Breast Cancer Care, as its name suggests, is primarily concerned with the care and treatment of ladies going through breast cancer. There is lots of research available on the link between endocrine disrupting chemicals and breast cancer. It is time that this was taken into account when looking at breast cancer risk factors.

3. MOST WOMEN ARE NOT BREAST AWARE AND ARE AFRAID OF BREAST CANCER.

Despite the huge focus on being breast aware, particularly during Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, the majority of women are not breast aware. According to research by Breast Cancer Campaign, breast cancer is the most feared disease amongst women.

4. WOMEN ARE NOT GIVEN LOTS OF ADVICE ON HOW THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR BREASTS AGAINST BREAST CANCER.

As we know, breast cancer is the most feared disease amongst women and understanding how it develops, the risk factors and, most importantly, how to protect against it, will make women feel more in control and positive towards their breast health.During October and other events during the year, the focus is on breast cancer rather than breast health. I believe that it is definitely time for women to take their breast health into their own hands, which is why I have launched my new campaign “Healthy Breasts For Every Woman”. As I mentioned before, most women give very little thought to their breasts. I know that once women understand more about breast health and don’t feel so helpless in the face of breast cancer that they do want to be proactive and take control of their breast health.

Source by ezinearticles.com

2 comments:

ade irish said...

this is great blog

indah said...

Good aticle