Breast cancer is a devastating illness that claims countless lives each year. According to the WHO, it is the major contributor to women’s mortality worldwide. To spread awareness, October is observed as a breast cancer awareness month. In this article, Doctors Hospital and Medical Centre (DHMC), Lahore, as a part of its effort to raise medical literacy among communities, wants to shed light on breast cancer symptoms to make it easy for anyone to go for early breast cancer screening.
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast Cancer is a fatal type of cancer that attacks the breasts. It can be initiated in one or both breasts. Breast cancer results from the inappropriate and unnatural cell growth around the important body organ of breasts. It is crucial to know that according to the statistics, breast cancer is the biggest reason for women’s death toll around the globe.
Breast cancer may originate from various regions of the breast. The breast is an organ located over the upper ribs and chest muscles. The left and right breasts include primarily fatty tissue, ducts, and glands. For feeding babies and infants, women’s breasts produce and secrete milk. The size of each breast is determined by the quantity of fatty tissues over there.
In most cases, women fall prey to this dangerous body malfunction. However, men are also prone to breast cancer. Yet, they are less in count in comparison to the women. There are many types of breast cancer. The most common types of breast cancer can be divided into two (2) types.
- Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (Initiates from milk ducts and spreads around the breast tissues)
- Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (Instigates from milk glands and spreads onto other body parts)
Breast Cancer Symptoms
It is important to know that till now, there is no assured list of confirmed symptoms of breast cancer. Breast Cancer symptoms vary from person to person. It is also possible that no signs of breast cancer may occur.
However, there are certain changes in the upper human body area. Both breasts and armpits are the area of consideration and care to identify the possibility of breast cancer. The top symptoms that make it necessary for breast cancer screening are as penned in the list below.
- Occurrence of new guilt or lump around any breast or armpits.
- Thickening or swelling on any of the breasts.
- Sudden irritation or change in the structure of any breast.
- Skin flakiness or sudden redness in the breast area.
- Any unusual breast discharge from the nipple, even blood.
- Pain in breast area or change in size or shape of any breast.
If you see or experience sudden or uncommon changes, visit a doctor for breast cancer screening. However, it is essential to know that no specific definition of normal breasts exists. Even lifestyle changes also result in variations in the structure and size of breasts. Learn more about normal breast changes over time here.
Risk Factors Related to Breast Cancer
In the following, a few risk factors may increase the chance of breast cancer. Some of the elements cannot be controlled, though some are changeable.
Changeable Risk Factors to Avoid Breast Cancer
- Avoid a lazy and inactive lifestyle. Adopt an active routine.
- Avoid unmonitored weight gain. Maintain healthy body weight. You can see the BMI chart.
- Avoid taking drugs. Ensure clean eating.
- Avoid late first childbirth. Breastfeeding and childbirth before age 30 reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Risk Factors You Can’t Change
- Born as women
- Ageing process
- Having dense breasts
- Changes in genetic structures
- Early onset of periods and late menopause
- Personal and family history of cancer
- Previous exposure to radiation
- Unavoidable encounter with drugs (due to any treatment)
Role of Early Detection
Breast Cancer screening is a procedure to check women’s breasts prior to any signs or symptoms of breast cancer. Professional doctors advise that women must keep a complete check-up to ensure the early detection of breast cancer.
There are certain tests to perform early breast cancer detection. The early detection can save many precious lives. Early screening is essential because there are four known stages of breast cancer. Most women don’t get proper breast cancer symptoms while attacked by this killer disease. Therefore, a proper check-up is the only option to know the status of your breasts and physical health.
Breast Cancer Screening and Treatment at Doctors Hospital
There are specific techniques and tests to perform for early breast cancer screening. Some of them are Mammography and Imaging. In Lahore, Pakistan, women over 40 must get themselves free of any doubt or risk of breast cancer through proper breast cancer screening. Doctors Hospital and Medical Centre offers breast cancer screening facilitations.
At Doctors’ Hospital, we offer mammography for breast cancer screening. Mammography is like a special X-ray for checking the actual conditions of breasts. It is important to identify the problem if there are no breast cancer symptoms. It provides an ample opportunity to get treatment in the early stages for successful and less invasive treatment options.
Doctors Hospital and Medical Centre (DHMC) offers efficient surgical services to help early diagnosis and early detection of breast cancer. Hence, Doctors Hospital is the name of service excellence in early breast cancer screening in Lahore. As a part of our top-notch medical services, we provide state-of-the-art diagnostics in the presence of a highly qualified and experienced medical team for more than a couple of decades.
Some of the details of the best breast cancer screening services at DHMC are as follows.
Experienced Medical Team
Doctors Hospital, Lahore, has a team of professional oncologists and a medical team. Those who may have any doubts regarding breast cancer can get themselves properly examined.
State-of-the-Art Diagnostics
At DHMC Lahore, we have state-of-the-art facilities for our patients. Doctors’ Hospital combines skills and technology to keep you comfortable during the healing procedure.
Latest Efficient Surgical Services
To ensure accurate test results and painless surgical procedures, the Doctors’ Hospital and medical centre have installed the latest technology to make medical procedures easy and less time-consuming for our patients.
Patient-Centric Approach
Doctors Hospital follows a patient-centric approach to make our patients and their attendants comfortable. With empathy and care, the speed of recovery multiplies.
Schedule an Appointment with Oncologist at DHMC
Doctors Hospital and Medical Centre is open for appointment for all quality services regarding early detection of breast cancer with or without breast cancer symptoms. For queries or to get in touch with our oncologists or cancer experts at Doctors Hospital and Medical Centre, call (042) 111 223 377
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Breast Cancer Symptoms
- What does stage 1 breast cancer feel like?
Skin irritation or dimpling, swelling, redness, scaling, flaking, or thickening of the breast skin or nipple, inward turning of the nipple, alteration in the skin appearance, discharge from the nipple that is not breast milk, breast pain, nipple pain, new breast lump, and armpit lump are all signs of stage 1 breast cancer.
- Does breast cancer cause pain?
In most cases, the lump in the breasts stays painless. Therefore, breast cancer is normally not painful. However, it may generate a burning and tender sensation.
- How can I check myself for breast cancer?
You can do regular self-examination on your own. However, once you attain the age of 40, it is medically advised to get yourself through a proper medical check-up. You should go for a mammography at least once a year.
