Killer Breast Cancer

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it doesn’t mean you will soon be dying. The key to surviving breast cancer is knowledge of the disease, risk factors, warning signs to watch for, and knowledge about your treatment choices. Knowledge is important before you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and particularly after a diagnosis has been made.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

First, you need to know what your risk factors are. Does someone in your immediate family, your mother, sister, or cousin have breast cancer? Other risk factors include the beginning age of your periods, when they stopped, and if you have had a child and breast-fed that child. Being familiar about your risk factors and signs of the disease is vital to keep you as healthy as possible. Know how diet and exercise will help you minimize your chances of getting breast cancer. Be sure you are doing monthly self-breast exams and report to your doctor for regular checkups and breast exams.

A recent study has decided that a breast cancer patient needs to be familiar with all choices available to her. Surgeons, radiologists, and cancer specialists should examine the patient and together decide what choices the patient has.

In America , to reduce the death rate among breast cancer patients, early detection is being stressed. Also noted, it isn’t always necessary to remove the entire breast. In lower income level countries, the doctor will choose to remove the entire breast. Generally, that happens because the disease has advanced through the body prior to its detection.

Treatment Choices for Breast Cancer

Knowing and understanding your treatment choices are important before you make any decisions regarding your breast cancer treatment. You should seek information about any surgical procedure your doctor recommends, and research chemotherapy and radiation as treatment choices.

Researchers and doctors are rethinking the standard procedure for total mastectomy as treatment for breast cancer. Some are recommending lumpectomies and partial removals for all but the most advanced cases of cancer. Education and knowing what choices are available to you will help you make the best decision about treatment for your disease.

New drugs are being tested and developed every year to help fight this disease. Recovery rates in the United States for breast cancer patients are 86 percent. That is much higher than when my cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer twenty years ago. Good diet habits, exercise, and reducing your consumption of alcohol and tobacco products will give you a much higher survival rate.

Two new drugs, Tamoxifen and Raloxifene are being used to lessen the chances of breast cancer recurring. Regular mammograms, self-exams, and doctor visits are important tools in catching this disease before it becomes deadly. Information is available from the American Cancer Association, the Susan Komen Foundation, and many websites on the Internet. Do your research, be prepared to ask questions, and know what your choices are. Don’t be scared to fight a disease that used to be a deadly killer.