You might be confused about what to focus on as you start your assessments and all the “scary signs and symptoms” of breast cancer that you need to watch out for. But let’s not be rude: greetings are in order.
Hola! Hola!
It’s the middle of October but hello again!
This post comes a little late, but here we are!
This is October… and all sorts of great things are taking place this month…. fall, orange leaves, and pumpkin patches!
My birthday falls this month too. So that’s great! Thank you Jesus for allowing me to hit another milestone. Last year, I never thought I would get to this year, and here I am just dancing my way into a new one! I’m not done with treatment but I’m almost there (lol) Yay for me!!!
And there’s one more thing… You guessed it: October is breast cancer AWARENESS month!
A lot of people asked me this year what I would do for my birthday, which falls today: October 20th. Well, amongst other things, I wanted to use today to talk about my battle, and what women can do to not have to go through what I did; to be able to detect the signs and symptoms early on. Not everyone who goes through cancer is able to bounce back after their treatment; many people die from it. Others have to live with longstanding side effects. Breast cancer is common because it is the second most diagnosed cancer among women in the United States (as well as other countries) and it is also fatal, and it is high up on the mortality list of diseases worldwide with black women having higher death rates compared to white women.
For more information on other breast cancer statistics, please visit the United States Breast Cancer Statistics. So if you are not familiar with breast cancer, or metastatic cancer period, here are a few things you can become “aware” of.
From a personal standpoint, the first time I went to my doctor’s office complaining about a lump, nothing would have prepared me for the news that I would receive. And you know how the rest of the story goes… If you don’t know how the story goes, be sure to read this post where I tell you all about it! Yes, you will hear about that infamous call for yourself verbatim. One thing I do want to mention to women is that you do not have to be a statistic. Part of primary prevention involves doing genetic tests, breast exams, and mammograms to stay one step ahead of the game. And that means doing tests early!
One question I do get asked a lot is: “Mabih, what made you go in to get a check-up? How did you know something was wrong?” Well, I ponder on this sometimes and wonder how that wasn’t my first post on this blog, to begin with! I did talk about the type of cancer I had and the stage and grade in a previous post, but I didn’t mention the symptoms you should look for. But you know how they say better late than never?
Well, now is as good a time as any to discuss some of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, what to look for, and the general types that are out there. But first, let’s start with spotting the signs.
The first thing to know is, we all know our bodies; women and men alike. Therefore, when something doesn’t seem or feel right, you can tell the change. And that’s usually a cue to start investigating. The only problem is, cancer is not one of those fatal medical conditions that cause aggravating pain in its early stages or even pain at all, and that makes it easy to disregard or not take immediate measures to follow up on, especially in the early stages when the tumor is bean-size, or smaller. At that point, it only feels like a tiny nodule. It’s probably nothing important… WRONG! While it is important to know when something is off with your body, diagnosis is not made based on a haunch. There is actual science that proves symptoms you should expect to see IF you do have cancer or metastatic cancer.
Some symptoms of breast cancer are:
1.) A new lump in the breast that was not previously there before.
I’m sure you are thinking, “if it’s new doesn’t that mean it wasn’t there before?” Well, this is not a joke so just keep the sarcasm aside for a second, will you? Honestly, just like you, I don’t know why I question the professionals when all the facts are out there.
The criteria for new lumps may vary from person to person. You have to make that assessment from the person’s baseline. For instance, I assumed that I had a fibroid cyst (non-malignant) because in the past, especially during certain days of the month, I would feel movable lumps within my breast that would later go away. Others also have non-malignant lumps in their breasts possibly related to a recent surge in levels of estrogen, therefore understanding your baseline, helps you know that you have had some changes in your body. It’s not enough to say you have lumps. It is possible a lump may exist already, but if you have a second one, that’s something worth looking into. However, we are not looking to get to the second lump -we want to stop it at the first!
2.) A change in the shape, size, contour, and general appearance of the breast.
Yes, cleavage is nice… it’s easy on the eye. But if you have gone from an A cup to a C cup, with no overall weight gain, no pregnancy, no change in diet, and no cosmetic implants or esthetic procedures, yeah… you might want to get yourself checked out. If your breast suddenly has an awkward shape, becomes thickened, or if the contour is not symmetric between both, do a breast self-exam and to put your mind at ease, make an appointment to follow up with your physician. Personally, I had dense breast tissue which didn’t allow me to feel the other tumors within my breast… yes, I had three tumors (but because of my breast size, I could not feel the others embedded deep within the tissue). But the superficial tumor was the one that had me finally running for the heels. And I knew it wasn’t right because my other breast didn’t have it. SO sometimes, if you’re in doubt but you do find something abnormal that bothers you, put your mind at ease. Schedule that doctor’s visit and talk to him. (If not for your health, at least for the eye candy.) What could it hurt?
3.) Examine the skin on and around your breast.
Did you know, the skin is the biggest organ in the body? Yes, it is! And what’s so great about the skin is, because it’s a blanket, it tends to be a journal for everything else that’s happening under it. Therefore, when something isn’t right, the skin is a good way to make a quick assessment. For instance, if the skin around your breast is dimpling, something medical professionals call “p’eau d’orange” or has an orange-peel appearance, something’s wrong and you need to go to your doctor. Personally, the only place I want my orange is on a fruit bowl! If the skin color changes suddenly or becomes pigmented with no possible or relatable cause, that’s also an indication that something is wrong. If you have redness, flakiness, and irritation around the skin of the areola, that’s definitely not normal. All I should hear you ask is. “when is your next available appointment? I’d like to come in!”
4.) Your nipples do much more than breastfeed your kids.
Just like your skin, your nipples tell their part of the story. Your nipples should not be pulled in (or inverted). That is not the physiological appearance of the nipple. So if you examine your nipple and notice that it is “popping in” instead of “popping out” there’s a problem there. It may not always be cancer, but it’s not normal and you need to get that checked out. Pain in your nipples, (or any area of your breast, period) is never a good sign. And here comes the big one: a nipple discharge. Our nipples do much more than breastfeed our babies. They also tell us when something’s wrong. It is normal to produce milk when you are breastfeeding. But if you have any discharge other than milk, including blood, that’s a bad sign. Getting your doctor to further evaluate the cause becomes a necessity.
5.) Metastatic breast cancer happens when the tumor has exited and is spreading from its original location into other tissue which may be the adjacent breast, or the lymph nodes. This is dangerous because this is how tumors spread and become fatal. At stage 4, breast cancers require intense and radical treatment, and even then, most patients have a slim chance of survival. Therefore, it is important not only to check your breasts but to check under your arm for any abnormal swelling (these are your axillary lymph nodes) and to check your clavicle for swelling as well.
I just want to mention that no two women are the same, and therefore no two breasts are the same. The above signs and symptoms are not necessarily cues that indicate you have cancer, but they might be good reasons to investigate further regarding the cause of these changes. As always, getting a cancer diagnosis involves several steps, including a biopsy for confirmation. So don’t fret, (at least not yet.) Remember, early detection saves lives; the sooner you find out, the sooner you can address it.
Some things that put you at risk include aging, genetic mutations, a family history of cancer, and having dense breast tissue. These are things you cannot control. We are all going to get old; we can’t control the genes we inherited from our parents and those that circulate in our families. You don’t even genetically have a say in what size your breasts are unless of course, you make a trip to the friendly neighborhood plastic surgeon (wink). What you do have control over, are your physical health and well being, staying active and exercising, drinking alcohol or smoking, your reproductive history, and most especially, your diet. These factors may very well not stop cancer from happening, but it will reduce the risk, and then at least you can say “I tried my best!”
When we talk about early detection, what are we referring to? Mammograms, MRIs, and Breast Exams. Mammograms are just x-rays of the chest, MRIs take images of the breast, and the breast self-exams are performed by doctors who feel your breasts for physical abnormalities and lumps. Look out for my next post to learn more about these diagnostic tests.
When I started writing about the signs and symptoms, I started with lumps because that is the number one reason that women who get diagnosed with cancer come into their office complaining of. Therefore, it is important to understand the essence of the exam and how to do it. But I’m going to let Dr. Laura Kruper of the Breast Cancer Center City of Hope, show you how to do it.
I know sometimes you can have all the information and still not know where to go. SO I did all your homework for you. Because no woman should ever miss a mammogram due to financial circumstances (especially in these uncertain times), I have found some FREE SCREENING RESOURCES from the National Mammography Program from the National Breast Cancer Foundation. All you have to do is search the closest facility to you on their website and they are available NATIONALLY (so in effect, all 50 states).
FREE services include:
- Screening mammograms
- Diagnostic mammograms
- Tomosynthesis (3D mammograms)
- CAD (computer-aided detection)
- Clinical breast exams
- Ultrasounds
- Biopsies (limited) and so much more!
So in summary, look out for these signs and talk to your doctor.
Now I’m about to do my happy dance and waltz out of here because I’ve told all my queens (and kings)!
And here’s all I want you to do: don’t wait till October to get a screening; don’t wait till you have a symptom to get a screening. Go all year-round. We are all warriors! Don’t you ever forget that!
Now I’ve given it all to you. Go out and be great. Cheers!
Love and light and keeping up the pink fight,
Mabih
Read my next post where I tell you about some things you should NEVER say or ask a cancer patient. You’ll really want to read this one.
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