BREAST CANCER
October r
Breast cance
onth
awareness m
WORKING AGAINST
Breast Cancer
October was Breast
Cancer Awareness month.
Breast Cancer is one of
the most common cancers
among South African
women and it is a cancer
that is on the increase.
What is it?
Breast cancer is a general term for
different types of cancer that develop
from breast tissue cells. When abnormal
cells divide in an uncontrolled manner,
they can form a mass of extra tissue,
or tumour, which can be benign or
malignant. Benign tumour cells do
not spread to other parts of the body,
can usually be removed and do not
recur. Malignant (cancerous) tumour
cells can invade nearby tissues and
break away from the primary tumour to
form secondary tumours (metastases)
elsewhere in the body.
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Who is at risk?
cancer was at an early stage. Key to this
In South Africa the highest risk
is regular self-breast examination and
population groups are White and Asian
regular mammograms.
women, then Black and Coloured
women. Incidence in Black women,
Treatment depends on the stage and
specifically those of African descent,
type of the cancer, as well as your age
is increasing. In Europe rates of new
and health.
cases of breast cancer
have increased but this
is because of improved
detection and treatment
rly stages.
s in the ea
not obviou
options. While statistics
are
Symptoms
include:
but some
toms may
in South Africa are
lly painless,
ater symp
L
ese are usua
mps: th
unreliable, the death rate
• Breast lu
n.
or the
kly sensatio
from all types of breast
: the shape
cause a pric
appearance
e in nipple
cancer has not increased.
• Chang
with
ange.
ally stained
skin may ch
(This is because treatment
harge: especi
al nipple disc
• Unusu
is more effective).
blood
e breast
the skin of th
• Change in elling under the arm
sw
• A lump or
e:
s includ
symptom
asional
Occ
elling
Treatment is effective if
• Breast sw
in the breast
e discomfort
the condition is detected
• Vagu
ness
in or tender
temperature
early, with 90% of patients
• Breast pa east contour, texture or
br
surviving for many years after
• Change in
a diagnosis when the breast
toms
s and symp
Sign
Prevention
and treatment