HCPH Encourages Residents to Take Steps for Early Detection!
Harris County Public Health (HCPH) encourages regular breast screenings for early detection to lower the risk of developing breast cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the second most common cancer that affects women in the United States. Although it is uncommon, men can also get breast cancer. Each year, about 264,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women and about 2,400 in men in the United States. Out of those diagnosed, about 42,000 women and 500 men die each year from breast cancer. Black women have a much higher rate of death from breast cancer than White women.
Mammograms, an X-ray of the breast, are the best and most common way to early detect breast cancer. Having regular mammogram screenings can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. You can also improve your chances of detecting breast cancer early through clinical breast exams, which are done by your doctor as part of your annual well-woman checkup, or breast-self exams.
Just like with other diseases, different people will have different symptoms of breast cancer, while some will not have any signs or symptoms at all. Some warning signs of breast cancer to look for are:
- A lump in the breast or armpit.
- Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
- Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
- Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
- Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area.
- Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
- Pain in any area of the breast.
Although there are some factors that one has no control over, like family history and getting older, there are precautions you can take to help lower the risk of breast cancer. These factors include:
- Keep a healthy and active lifestyle.
- Avoid drinking alcohol, or drink no more than one drink a day.
- If you are currently or have taken hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills, ask your doctor about the risks and if it is the right treatment for you.
- Breastfeed, if possible.
- If you have a family history of breast cancer, talk to your doctor about ways to lower your risk.
The best way to lower your risk of developing breast cancer or improve your chances of surviving it if it occurs is to lead a healthy lifestyle. If you have any signs or symptoms that worry you, be sure to see your doctor right away.
