How to check that you don't have breast cancer ???

Question

Hello,
Iam affraid about breast cancer. How to check that we don't have it? and how to have care to not have it? Please, help. Thanks.

Answer 1

It depends on how old you are, and what your risk factors are for getting breast cancer. Some families have the 'breast cancer gene' which means that this kind of cancer tends to strike early and is more aggressive. Other women don't get breast cancer until they are post-menopausal. These cancers tend to be slower growing, for the most part.
Your individual risks will depend on the following:
1) Has any of your first degree relatives (mother, sister, aunt, grandmother) had breast cancer before age 50?
2) Do you have a history of colon cancer in your family? (The two genes are linked)
3) Are you taking hormone replacement therapy if you are a post-menopausal woman, or had your ovaries removed during a hysterectomy?
4) Do you examine your breasts on a monthly basis?
5) If you are over 40, are you getting annual mammograms?
You cannot eliminate the risk of breast cancer, you can only reduce your risk factors. However, the fact is that more women die of heart disease and stroke than breast cancer. What are you doing with your life to lower your risk of these diseases? Are you eating well, exercising, controlling diabetes?

Answer 2

It is the only way to know is to go to your doctor to have the your doctor a private showing you how to feel, and what to look for, etc.. It would be a wonderful educational for you to learn through your doctor and ask for a mammogram exam. Often the mammogram exam save many women's lives because if defect one and discover early enough- 99% chance to live all your adulthood life.

I check it once every month after 40 since I am 42 years old. I look for hard, feel like a rock all over the breasts. It may show up in my this age later this year. If not happen this year, it could happen another time, I keep doing it as long as I can. I do that during the shower time. Thats' what I do here.

It worths your trip to your doctor to learn more about it. The doctors are highly trained to teach the women everything they want to know about the breast cancer to determine if not to have it or probably have it. Just remember its not a death sentence, if you take care of your self now and will be okay in a long term.

Answer 3

Do you have a family history of it? If so, it is wise to keep up on your exams.

If you are worried about it now, please hurry over to your gynecologist and that person can check for you. They can give you a mammogram that will take a picture of the tissue inside the breast.

Every woman needs to perform self breast examinations monthly. This is where you lift your arm, and feel the entire breast and surrounding tissue for any irregular lumps. A doctor can teach you how and give you pamphlets or show you a chart. If you do feel lumps, please see doctor right away.

If your family has a history of breast cancer, you should be getting mammograms once a year. Your doctor will help you decide how often you should get a mammogram. Insurance companies are usually great about covering these.

Finally, the best you can do to prevent it is have a healthy lifestyle. Don't smoke, don't let your weight be too high, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoid junk food, and exercise.

Good luck.

Answer 4

First, only a doctor can do this diagnosis.

However, there are ways that you can help yourself here. You need to learn how to a breast self-exam. A doctor or nurse can show you how to do this, and you do it monthly. If you are still menstruating, you do this exam shortly after every period. If not, choose a given date every month, and do it then. Yes, you can find instruciton for the on the internet, but in order to be certain that you are doing this properly, you do need that first-hand instruction.

You should also ask your doctor about breast cancer screening mammograms. After about age 50, a woman should have this done annually. (She should also have a bone desitometry on an annual or bi-annual basis.) Some places advocate screening mammograms starting earlier than that. Mammograms are painful, yes, but just for a few minutes. You can feel a bit gruised for a day or so afterwards. However, mammograms save lives, so don't let that temporary pain stop you.

Answer 5

I don't know where you live, but you should have regular physical/gynecological exams where the doctor orders a mammogram. You should also do monthly breast self exams. Go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation web site for more information. You shouldn't smoke. Early detection is the key, I believe. Eat a healthful diet, exercise and get a moderate amount of sunshine and fresh air.

Answer 6

Medicaid wont pay for a mammogram in case your too youthful. yet they could pay for a breast ultrasound, and they can do even as your pregnant. yet your physician must have not felt some thing mind-blowing even as they did your breast exam. in case your quite that traumatic about it, ask for a referral to an oncologist (breast obviously), yet they could also in reality do a breast exam, and except they experience some thing, no longer do some thing else. in case your youthful, also the extremely sound of the breast is extra useful, it would want to confirm what wont educate on a mammogram through dense tissue that you've even as youthful.

Answer 7

If you Smoke.......QUIT! You should also be checking your breasts for anything that is not normal, small bumps/cysts on your breast, any discharge from your nipples...anything out of the ordinary.
You can ask your family doctor to do a breast exam and show you how you should be examining your breasts each month*
If you're old enough....they can set up for you to have a mamogram. Do you have a history in your family background of cancer that has you so scared? Or you're just scared in general ???
Goodluck*

Answer 8

My mother had breast cancer - so, I've been studying up on this subject myself.

Make sure you do a monthly exam on yourself - if it runs in your family - you may want to have the doctor check to see if your blood work shows if you are likely to get it or not. There is a gene they can check.

If you ever feel a lump, go to your doctor immediately.

If the doctor tries to tell you its nothing, dont listen. Insist on an ultrasound. If breast cancer runs in your family - talk to your doctor about when its best to have a mammogram done.

If you have concerns, I think you should talk to your doctor anyway. :)

Answer 9

There are self exams that are very effective. You should be able to find a diagram on the internet or if you go to your local hospital/clinic they should have pamphlets with pictures showing you how. They even have waterproof ones that you hang in the shower. If you find a lump you should go to your Doctor and he/she will give you an exam and if it's questionable they will give you a mammogram (which is very uncomfortable the younger you are do to dense breast tissue) And then if they are still not sure they will go usually go in and remove it. Hope this helps!!

Answer 10

You can't check that yourself. You can examine yourself for lumps that may be suspicious. Your doctor can show you how to do that. Here's a site that gives you instructions, as well
http://www.breastcancer.org/dia_detec_exam_5step.html

But a lot of lumps are NOT cancer. So you need to be regularly examined by a doctor, and in between those examinations, stop worrying about it. Eat a healthy diet, low in fat. That may help protect you against several kinds of cancer.