Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Breast Cancer and Exposure to Pesticides

"I am too young to worry about breast cancer."
"If you have a lump in your boob, it is cancer."
"I don't have a family history. I am safe."
"Thank God, I am a male."

Have you heard somebody say this and wondered if it was actually true?

Breast cancer can affect women and men alike and is the second most common type of cancer worldwide next to lung cancer. Breast cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Among women, this cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. It is more prominent in industrially developed countries than in countries not industrially developed.

There are plenty of signs or symptoms involved with detecting breast cancer. The most notable sign or symptom is the discovery of a lump. This lump usually feels different than the surrounding tissue. More than 80 percent of cases are discovered by the woman doing a self-test and finding a lump on the breast according to the Merck Manual. The first red flag discovered by doctors is through mammograms according to American Cancer Society.

Women with lumpy or dense boobs were earlier believed to have higher risks. But, nowadays, researchers believe there is no such connection. Lumpy or dense tissue makes it difficult to differentiate the normal tissue from the cancerous tissue. So, your doctor may often advise your mammograms to be followed by an ultrasound examination.

Most of them, however, are used in combination with surgery for best effects, either prior to, in order to reduce the size of the tumor or after surgery, to remove any remaining cancer cells. For a better understanding of these alternative methods of treatment for breast cancer, let's take a closer look at each one, explaining how and in what cases might be helpful.

Unlike what you may have heard, there is no concrete evidence to support the link that birth control pill causes breast cancer risk. Many studies have identified a very weak link between these pills and the occurrence of breast cancer. As a matter of fact, the incidences of breast cancer from the use of birth control pills are about 4.7 women out of 10,000 at the most. Therefore, women should not worry themselves too much in the use of birth control pills for contraceptive purposes.

The last thing you want to be aware of is the link between breast cancer and exposure to pesticides and unnecessary antibiotics. Although research is not conclusive, you should be aware of the link between the two. The molecular structure of some pesticides resembles that of estrogen. In addition, scientists have found a link between antibiotic use and breast cancer. The longer antibiotics are used, the greater the risk is of getting breast cancer.

This Breast Cancer Information blog dedicated to support and give information for women and it is intended for general information only.

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