Fighting breast cancer in women and men and the most important ways to detect it in its early stages.

 Fighting breast cancer in women and men and the most important ways to detect it in its early stages.

Breast cancer is not only a cancer of women, it also affects men. To try to get the best prognosis, we all have to be aware of the ways to try to spot it in the early stages. Breast cancer has four stages that we need to understand.

1. Stage 1 breast cancer occurs when the cancer is contained, and has not spread beyond the area to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. This is the stage anyone who develops breast cancer hopes to be in.
2. Stage 2 breast cancer is when the cancer has spread outside the breast area and is not contained. This occurs when it is found in the lymph nodes in the axillary region or the sentinel node in the area of ​​the breastbone.
3. Stage 3 breast cancer has subclasses lllA, lllB, or 111C. This is where the cancer has spread to 9 or more lymph nodes. Women at this stage will need chemotherapy and radiation.
4. Stage IV: The cancer has spread to the bones and other organs of the body such as the lung and brain. This stage requires chemotherapy and also treatment if it is in the bone.

To try to prevent breast cancer, both women and men need to be aware of their bodies. If you have a lump that you haven't felt before while examining your body, don't put off getting it checked out. And don't be embarrassed to do monthly breast exams. The best places to do a self-examination are in the shower, in front of a mirror, or when lying down. There are also breast pictures that everyone should remember every year. To reduce the pain women have with a mammogram - about half an hour before the exam, take Tylenol to help relieve the pain.

• It is important to know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. And any change in the breast or nipple should sound like a bell.
• Any discharge from the nipple or the nipple turned inward.
• If you feel a lump in the breast or armpit area.
• If there is a change in the color, texture, or swelling of the breast.

Breast cancer can occur to a woman who does not have a family history of breast cancer and it may be hereditary. Inherited breast cancer is usually associated with one gene for every two genes — BRCA1 or BRCA2. The BRCA genes help maintain normal breast cell growth and prevent cancer.

 If the genes are mutated, they do not work as they should and the risk of breast cancer increases. Genetic testing is available for those who have a family history of breast cancer. The test can make one realize if they carry either of the two genes. Women who carry the gene have an increased risk of ovarian cancer, and men who carry the gene are more likely to develop prostate cancer.

HER2 receptors help control how breast cells divide and grow. If the HER2 gene is not working properly, it tells the gene to make additional cells. If someone is HER2 positive, this means that the cancer tends to grow faster and is more likely to spread.

Hormone receptors are proteins if they are positive that tell cells to grow. It is important to test the hormone receptors because it will help the doctor determine the treatment needed. If the tumor is negative for hormone receptors, homeopathy is unlikely to be successful. For positive hormone receptor results, treatments can be with aromatase inhibitors - such as Arimidex or Femara. and estrogen receptor-reducing regulators (ERDs). - which includes Phaslodex.

Your doctor will go over all the results and then decide on the best cancer treatment. It looks at your HER2 status, your age, whether or not you've been menopausal, your health, tumor size and stage, hormone receptor status and cell growth rate.

Breast cancer treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Chemotherapy is used to treat early-stage cancer to get rid of cells if any are left from surgery. It is also used for advanced cancer to try to destroy as many cancer cells as possible. There are some cases where chemotherapy is given before surgery.

• Some breast cancer treatments can cause hair loss. Women are encouraged if they wish to have a wig before their hair falls out so that it can be matched to their color and style.
• Another side effect is polyneuropathy - numbness and tingling in the fingers and toes. If it starts to develop, you need to tell your doctor how severe your pain is.
• Low blood count. Treatments are attempted on schedule, and unfortunately sometimes treatment needs to be delayed due to low blood counts. While chemotherapy fights bed cells, it simultaneously lowers blood cell counts. If the hemoglobin is iron-containing red blood cells, patients may need an injection to help increase the count or a blood transfusion. And the white blood cells that fight infection, if they sometimes become low, Neupogen injection may be given. Patients are also educated to stay away from sick family members and to wash hands thoroughly.
• Some treatments can cause premature menopause for a woman who has not yet reached that time. This is called chemotherapy-induced menopause, which can cause hot flashes, mood swings, difficulty sleeping and depression.

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