What is breast cancer ?
Breast cancer is a malignant tumour that develops from cells of the breast. The disease occurs mostly in women, but does occur rarely in men. It is detected by an abnormal area on a mammogram or abnormal lump.

What causes breast cancer?
The cause is not yet known but certain risk factors are linked to the disease. These include:
Gender: Simply being a woman is the main risk. While men can also get the disease, it is about 100 times more common in women.
Age: The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older.

Genes: Five to 10 per cent of breast cancers are linked to mutations in certain genes.
Family history: Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have the disease. The relatives can be from either side and having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer doubles a woman's risk.

Personal history: A woman with cancer in one breast has a greater chance of getting a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast.

Race: White women are slightly more likely to get breast cancer than are black women. But black women are more likely to die of this cancer. Many experts now believe that the main reason for this is because black women have faster-growing tumours. Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian women have a lower risk of getting breast cancer.

Abnormal breast biopsy: Certain types of abnormal biopsy results can be linked to a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.
Earlier breast radiation: Women who have had radiation treatment to the chest area (as treatment for another cancer) earlier in life have a greatly increased risk of breast cancer.
Menstrual periods: Women who began having periods early (before 12 years of age), or who went through the change of life (menopause) after the age of 55 have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer.

Risks
Not having children: Women who have not had children, or who had their first child after age 30, have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. Being pregnant more than once and at an early age reduces breast cancer risk.

Birth control pills: It is still not clear what part birth control pills might play in breast cancer risk. Studies have found that women now using birth control pills have a slightly greater risk of breast cancer than women who have never used them.

Breast-feeding and pregnancy: Some studies have shown that breast-feeding slightly lowers breast cancer risk, especially if the breast-feeding lasts 1½ to 2 years. One study found that having more children and breast-feeding longer could reduce the risk of breast cancer by half.

Alcohol: Use of alcohol is clearly linked to a slightly increased risk of getting breast cancer.
Obesity: Being overweight is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, especially for women after menopause and if the weight gain took place during adulthood. Also, the risk seems to be higher if the extra fat is in the waist area.
Exercise: Studies show that exercise reduces breast cancer risk.

Uncertain risk factors
. Most studies have found no link between active cigarette smoking and breast cancer. Though some studies say both active smoking and secondhand smoke have been suggested to increase the risk of breast cancer, the issue remains controversial.

. Internet e-mail rumours have suggested that antiperspirants can cause breast cancer. There is very little evidence to support this idea. There is also no evidence to support the idea that underwire bras cause breast cancer.

. Silicone breast implants can cause scar tissue to form in the breast. But several studies have found that this does not increase breast cancer risk.

Prevention
A woman of average risk for breast cancer might lower her risk somewhat by changing those risk factors that can be changed. These include giving birth to several children and breast-feeding them for several months, not drinking alcohol, exercising regularly, and staying slim.

The Jamaica Cancer Society recommends that you:
Eat less fat
. Choose lean cuts of meat, poultry and fish
. Use margarine, butter, oil, lard, shortening and cream sparingly.
. Limit the use of salad dressing, mayonnaise, gravy and rich sauces.

. Bake, poach or broil meat, fish and poultry rather than frying.
. Limit the use of high-fat desserts such as pies, cookies, cakes, doughnuts and ice cream.

Eat more fibre
Your best choices are fruits and vegetables, brown breads, cereals, crackers, peas, beans, brown rice, yam, green banana, breadfruit, sweet potato, dasheen, coco.

Eat more fruits and vegetables
Have seven to 10 portions daily. In addition to fibre, fruits and vegetables also supply vitamins and minerals.

Maintain an ideal weight
Minimise the consumption of salt, cured, pickled and smoked foods like ham, bacon, sausage, bologna, saltfish, salt mackerel and jerked meats.
Have two or fewer alcoholic drinks per day.

How to check for lumps

Starting at age 20, all women should check their breasts for lumps, thickening or other change every month. Start in the shower when skin is wet and slippery as it is easier then to feel lumps or thickening.

Raise the arm of the breast to be examined then take two or three fingers of the other hand and gently examine the breast.
Move the fingers in a clockwise motion completely around the breast and feel for a mass or lump under the skin.
Stand in front of the mirror and look for changes in breast shape and nipples. Look for dimpling of the skin and swelling as well.
Explore the breasts while lying down. Lie flat on your back with one arm over your head and repeat the fingertip inspection of both breasts.

-Additional Informaion from the Jamaica and America Cancer Societies.

Try a pink ribbon

Go ahead, add a new accessory to your wardrobe this October. Try a pink ribbon, pin or bracelet to support the Jamaica Cancer Society's Breast Cancer Awareness Month which has as its theme, Every Woman Counts -Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Friends ... The Circle of Caring Never Ends.

The JCS is urging Jamaicans to wear pink pins, which have long been a symbol of the fight against breast cancer. These pins can be purchased islandwide at Super Plus food stores.
And if you are not really a 'pin' person, you can go ahead and obtain ribbons and bracelets from the JCS' head office and branches .

So forget the notion that pink is only a girl's colour and encourage the guy in your life to sport one .
Reach to Recovery, the support group for breast cancer survivors, meets every second Tuesday at the Jamaica Cancer Society at 5pm.

And men get it too...

By DEANNA McFARLANE
all woman writer

When most people hear the term breast cancer, they automatically assume that it's confined to women. But there are others who struggle with the disease: males who make up the minority of sufferers.

Dr Trevor McCartney, senior medical officer at the Kingston Public Hospital, told all woman that cases of male breast cancer have been seen in Jamaica, with three or four cases annually on average.
"The incidence of male breast cancer is extremely low," Dr McCartney said.

He said that statistics show that one per cent of breast cancer cases are restricted to males. This, he noted, is in comparison to the statistic of 46 women per 100,000 who get the disease.
So how will men know how to test?

It is here that the similarities between the sexes meet.
While most lumps are not cancerous, this is often a tell-tale sign, as well as thicknening of the breast. Skin puckering may occcur, although Dr McCartney said that this is is usually seen at an advanced stage.

"You may also have swelling of the breast, pulling in of the nipples and bloody nipple discharge," said consultant surgeon Dr Clive Thomas.

Both Drs Thomas and McCartney explained that breast cancer cases occur mainly among men in their 60s and upwards.
"We have also seen cases where men in their 50s have breast cancer," Dr Thomas said, noting that these were among the minority.

Experts say that the exact causes of breast cancer remain relatively unknown. Like for women, the risk factors for men are smoking and obesity.
"If they have a family history, they tend to be at an increased risk," Dr Thomas said.

Statistics show that one in five men will have breast cancer in his lifetime. Race is a non-issue. Regarding monthly mammograms, this is not recommended for men, but they are warned to be aware of their bodies and the changes which occur.
And the good thing is that the male breast is small, so a lump may be easier to detect.

"A man needs to examine his nipples on a regular basis to see if there are any abnormalities," recommended Dr Thomas.
If cancer is suspected, a mammogram or the clinical breast exam is done. Because of less breast tissue, a mammogram which uses X-Ray imagery may be more accurate.
The treatment for breast cancer in men remains the same as that administered to women, and usually depends on the level of the cancer.

Usually a simple mastectomy is performed. During this procedure, the surgeon removes all of the breast tissue - the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue, and a strip of skin with the nipple and areola. Depending on the results of the operation and follow-up tests, he may also need treatment with radiation to the chest wall, chemotherapy or hormone therapy.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World