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BREAST CANCER AWARENESS TEST1.The leading cause of
death among American women ages 40-45 is? 2.The best way to detect
possible breast cancer in its early stages? 3.What time of
the month should you perform a monthly breast exam? 4.At what age should a women have her first
mammogram? 5.How often should a woman get a mammogram? 6.What should you do if you detect anything
unusual during your monthly exam? (ANSWERS FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE) Changing Breast Size and Skin Changes Any new change of the breast should be evaluated, especially if it happens only on one side. This may be as simple a change as one breast becoming larger, or dimpling, redness or thickening of the skin or the nipple. These changes are particularly worrisome because they may indicate that cancer has already spread and is blocking the drainage of the breast tissues to the lymph nodes. Many women have pain, lumpiness and swelling of the breasts one to two weeks before their menstrual period begins. This is due to hormones in the breast glands that cause fluid-filled lumps called 'cysts' to become swollen and tight. Such cysts are rarely associated with cancer, in other words, they are benign. Signs That May Indicate Cancer Breast Lumps Today, with increasing use of screening mammography, many cancers are found before they can be felt. However, women still often find the lump themselves. Sometimes it happens during the regular breast self-examination, but more often it occurs just by accident. There is no particular 'feel' to a cancerous lump but some women say that they 'knew' it was 'different' from other lumps they had felt in the past. Cancer lumps are usually firm or hard and, although they are usually painless, they may be tender. Sometimes women first notice a lump in the armpit -- an enlarged lymph node. Lumps that feel as though they are attached to the skin or also have skin redness are especially likely to be cancerous. Nipple Changes Crusting, ulceration or eczema (weeping) of the nipple that does not go away in a few days may be the result of breast cancer cells growing into the nipple. This can be due to cancer or to another condition called Paget's disease in which cancer cells grow between the skin cells of the nipple. If the nipple becomes inverted (turns inward) it may be a sign of a growing cancer pulling on the ligaments of the breast as it enlarges. ANSWERS TO BREAST CANCER AWARENESS TEST
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