Article by Carol Ann

Melanoma is the least common type of skin cancer. However, it is the most dangerous of all. Despite this, the other types of non-melanoma skin cancer should not be ignored. Even though they are more common and more curable, they can be equally serious when they are left untreated.

There are two types of non-melanoma skin cancer. These are basal cell skin cancer and squamous cell skin cancer. They differ in terms of causes and symptoms. For this reason, each one of them should be looked into individually.

Basal cell skin cancer or basal cell skin carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer in general. An interesting fact to note is that it affects primarily people with fair skin. Individuals with dark skin are rarely affected.

Excessive exposure to the sun can get you this type of non-melanoma skin cancer. It is characterized by skin growths, formed from abnormal skin cells. These growths usually appear on the areas of the skin that are most exposed to the sun. These include the face, neck, chest, shoulders, back and head.

Basal cell skin cancer has a number of different symptoms. The most common warning sign is the appearance of small bump that has flesh color on the skin. The bump is smooth and its surface may resemble the surface of a pearl. Such bumps are characterized by having an indentation in the middle. They are easily noticeable. These bumps may crust and/or bleed. This is often a repetitive process that forms a cycle.

Other symptoms include the appearance of a lesion that closely resembles a skin scar. It is firm when you touch it. A red flat spot on the skin may also signal the condition. Such spots tend to bleed easily. A specific formation of tiny blood vessels forming red lines that look like spider nets is also a symptom of basal cell skin cancer.

These symptoms are easily observable. Additionally, the basal cell skin carcinoma is quite slow to spread. It is highly unlikely to spread to other organs and tissues. For this reason, most cases of this type of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed early.

The basal cell skin cancer treatment usually involves only surgery for the removal of the bump or lesion. Sometimes, topical chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy are applied, but this is rare. The percentage of completely cured patients is quite high, but the carcinoma may come back.

Squamous cell skin cancer (carcinoma) is the second most common type of skin cancer. It is characterized by the growth of abnormal skin cells. Much like basal cell skin carcinoma, this condition affects primarily light-skinned people. Those with darker complexion are less likely to suffer from this disease.

Excessive exposure to the sun is one of the main reasons for getting this type of non-melanoma skin cancer. Because of this, the areas of the skin that are usually affected are the ones with greatest exposure to the sun. These include the nose and ears, lips, and the lower lip in particular, the forehead and hands.

It is also possible for squamous cell carcinoma to appear in skin areas that have been burned and/or exposed to chemicals. It can develop on skin areas, which have been treated with radiation therapy as well.

This type of non-melanoma skin cancer has several noticeable symptoms. The most common one is the formation of a firm red bump on the skin. The growth or the formation of a skin patch that is scaly and bleeding is also a warning sign. It is not uncommon for such growths and patches to form a crust as well. A persistent sore that does not heal with time is also a symptom of this condition.

Squamous cell skin cancer grows quite quickly to form large masses. In turn, it tends to spread rapidly to nearby lymph nodes. For this reason, a timely visit to the doctor and a timely diagnosis are essential. The treatment involves the removal of the abnormal tumor growth with a surgery. In some cases, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are also used for treatment. The chances of curing are high, provided that the condition is detected at the early stages of development.

The best methods for prevention of non-melanoma skin cancer include avoiding exposure to the sun, using sunscreen with high SPF and having frequent self-exams.

If left untreated, melanoma can be fatal. Luckily, there are a host of options that can prevent this.Watch More Health Videos at Health Guru: www.healthguru.com

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Malignant brain tumors occur in about 4.5 people per 100,000 population, they may occur at any age but brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in patients younger than age 35. In adults, incidence is generally highest between ages 40 to 60.

There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary brain cancer starts in the brain. Metastatic brain cancer starts somewhere else in the body and moves to the brain. The most common tumor types in adults are gliomas and meningiomas. In children, incidence is generally highest before age 1 and again between ages 2 and 12. The most common types of brain tumour in children are astrocytomas, medulloblastomas, ependymomas and brain stem gliomas.

CAUSES OF BRAIN CANCER

What causes brain cancer is not exactly known but there has recently been a great deal of speculation on the role of cell phone radiation in the development of brain cancer. In fact, while studies generally have shown no link between cell phones and brain cancer, there is some conflicting scientific evidence that may be worth additional study, according to the FDA.

More accepted risk factors for brain cancer include; exposure to vinyl chloride and individuals with risk factors such as having a job in an oil refinery, as a chemist, embalmer, or rubber industry worker show higher rates of brain cancer. Other risk factors such as smoking, radiation exposure, and viral infection (HIV) have been suggested but not proven to cause brain cancer. Patients with a history of melanoma, lung, breast, colon, or kidney cancer are at risk for secondary brain cancer.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BRAIN CANCER

Onset of symptoms is usually insidious and brain tumors are often misdiagnosed. Brain Cancers cause central nervous system changes by invading and destroying tissues and by secondary effects such as pressure on the brain. Symptoms vary but in general, brain cancer symptoms include: Abnormal pulse and breathing rates, deep, dull headaches that recur often and persist without relief for long periods of time, difficulty walking or speaking, dizziness, eyesight problems including double vision, seizures, vomiting and at the late stages of the disorder dramatic changes in blood pressure may occur. Although headaches are often a symptom of brain cancer, it is important to remember that most headaches are due to less serious conditions such as migraine or tension, not cancer.

DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN CANCERS

In most cases a definitive diagnosis is made by a tissue biopsy. Other diagnostic tools include; patient history, a neurologic assessment, skull x-rays, a brain scan, CT scan, MRI, a lumbar puncture and cerebral angiography. Meningiomas, arising from the covering around the brain or spinal cord, account for about 20% of brain cancers and are generally more benign.

TREATMENT OF BRAIN TUMORS

How to treat brain tumors depends on the age of the patient, the stage of the disease, the type and location of the tumor, and whether the cancer is a primary tumor or brain metastases. Brain cancer and brain tumors are somewhat unique because of the blood

brain barrier, which severely restricts the types of substances in the bloodstream that are allowed by the body into the brain and makes drug treatment extremely difficult. Because of this more and more research is being undertaken in delivering medication by means of nanoparticles, amongst the properties of nanoparticles that make them ideal candidates for recognizing and treating brain cancer, their ability to deliver a wide variety of payloads across the blood-brain barrier is perhaps the most important.

Brain cancers location and ability to spread quickly makes treatment with surgery or radiation like fighting an enemy hiding out among minefields and caves, and explains why the term brain cancer is all too often associated with the word inoperable.

Brain cancer survival statistics for the deadliest of tumors such as gliomas have not improved significantly over the past two decades and the clinical armamentarium is, to a large extent, still dependent on surgery and radiation therapy, treatments known to leave survivors with devastating cognitive deficits. Gamma knife surgery is a radiosurgery technique used to treat people with brain cancer and other neurological disorders

The most deadly form of brain cancer may be treatable with a vaccine that uses proteins. Unlike measles or mumps vaccines, which are meant to prevent disease, the brain cancer vaccine turns on the patient’s own immune system so it will help kill the tumor. When the vaccine is injected, it stimulates the immune system to kill off brain cancer cells and prevent the regrowth of tumors that have already been treated.

PROGNOSIS

The chances of surviving for a person with a brain tumor: Prognosis greatly depends on all of the following: type of tumor extent of the disease size and location of the tumor presence or absence of metastasis the tumor’s response to therapy, age, overall health, and medical history, tolerance of specific medications, procedures, or therapies. Metastatic brain cancer indicates advanced disease and has a poor prognosis. Unfortunately, the most common form of primary brain cancer, glioblastoma, is also the most aggressive and lethal but teratomas and other germ cell tumors although they have the capacity to grow very large may have a more favorable prognosis.

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Did you know, that in the United States alone, it is estimated that more than twenty eight thousand men die from prostrate cancer yearly? However, thanks to early detection, most men that are diagnosed with this type malignancy have a survival rate of almost ninety eight percent. The tips in this article may help increase the survival odds for you.

Although prostrate cancer can occur in men under the age of fifty it is extremely rare. When it does occur under age 50 some doctors feel it may be related to DNA genes from the family or an abnormal problem with the testosterone hormone. Just because it is a rare occurrence in men under 50, this doesn’t mean that you can’t start preparing yourself to fight off prostrate illness early in your life.

One of the most important steps you can take to help prevent cancer, prostrate or otherwise, is to do your best to have a healthy lifestyle. One of the major lifestyle changes you can do is to stop smoking, if you smoke. Recent studies have not found a direct link from smoking to prostrate cancer; but it is believed it can have adverse affect on the DNA of the malignant growth causing it to spread more rapidly through the prostrate and into other parts of the body. (Journal of Urology (Vol. 169: 512-516).

Not only can smoking speed up the spread of cancer cells throughout your body it also causes major damage to your entire respiratory system. This can lead to problems with your immune system, which is a major contributor for preventing any disease, much less cancer.

Other studies have shown that a healthy diet can also decrease the odds of the early on set of cancer of the prostrate and its severity. Those diets, which are high in fiber and the natural vitamins required by your body, have been shown to be very helpful. Furthermore your natural defenses are increased with this type of diet.

When you are discussing dieting you are invariably led to the subject of exercise. Some of the other studies have shown that a sedate life style leads to a lowering of the body’s natural defense system. Exercise has been shown to help the immune system to work at top proficiency. So not only will you help your prostrate, but again lower the odds of contracting other life threatening diseases. This in turn brings us to one more tip that may be helpful for you.

Early detection is the absolute key to increasing the survival rate for cancer victims, prostrate or otherwise. One of the recommendations being touted is to have the first PSA sample taken around age 40. However, there is a good deal of controversy over this recommendation. Thos against it have stated that it will be too early to show any results. While those for it have said it will give a record for comparison as the person ages.

Now we need to give you another tip. No matter which camp your doctor is in it is important for you to discuss your concerns with your physician. The tips provided in this article on prostrate cancer are for information purposes only. They should not be taken as nor considered as medical advice.

Although prostrate cancer can be a life threatening disease, with the proper medical treatment and lifestyle changes, the chances of prostrate cancer being the actual cause of your death are small.

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Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast.

The breast is made up of lobes and ducts. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes, which have many smaller sections called lobules. The lobes and lobules are connected by thin tubes called ducts.

Each breast also contains blood vessels and lymph vessels. The lymph vessels carry an almost colorless fluid called lymph. The lymph vessels lead to small, bean-shaped organs called lymph nodes that help the body fight infection and disease. Lymph nodes are found throughout the body. Clusters of lymph nodes are found near the breast in the axilla (under the arm), above the collarbone, and in the chest.

Breast cancer is sometimes detected (found) in women who are pregnant or have just given birth.

In women who are pregnant or who have just given birth, breast cancer occurs most often between the ages of 32 and 38. Breast cancer occurs about once in every 3,000 pregnancies.

It may be difficult to detect (find) breast cancer early in pregnant or nursing women, whose breasts are often tender and swollen.

Women who are pregnant, nursing, or have just given birth usually have tender, swollen breasts. This can make small lumps difficult to detect and may lead to delays in diagnosing breast cancer. Because of these delays, cancers are often found at a later stage in these women.

Breast examination should be part of prenatal and postnatal care.

To detect breast cancer, pregnant and nursing women should examine their breasts themselves. Women should also receive clinical breast examinations during their routine prenatal and postnatal examinations.

Tests that examine the breasts are used to detect (find) and diagnose breast cancer.

If an abnormality is found, one or all of the following tests may be used:

Ultrasound exam: A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram.
Mammogram: An x-ray of the breast. A mammogram can be performed with little risk to the fetus. Mammograms in pregnant women may appear negative even though cancer is present.

Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues by a pathologist so they can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer.
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.

The prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options depend on the following:

The stage of the cancer (whether it is in the breast only or has spread to other places in the body).
The size of the tumor.
The type of breast cancer.
The age of the fetus.
Whether there are symptoms.
The patient’s general health.
Stages of Breast Cancer
After breast cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body.

The process used to find out if the cancer has spread within the breast or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. (Refer to the PDQ summary on Breast Cancer Treatment for more information on the stages used for breast cancer.)

Methods used to stage breast cancer can be changed to make them safer for the fetus.

Standard methods for giving imaging scans can be adjusted so that the fetus is exposed to less radiation. Tests to measure the level of hormones in the blood may also be used in the staging process.

Treatment Option Overview
There are different types of treatment for patients with breast cancer.

Different types of treatment are available for patients with breast cancer. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. Before starting treatment, patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment.

Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site. Choosing the most appropriate cancer treatment is a decision that ideally involves the patient, family, and health care team.

Treatment options for pregnant women depend on the stage of the disease and the age of the fetus.
Three types of standard treatment are used:
Surgery

Most pregnant women with breast cancer have surgery to remove the breast. Some of the lymph nodes under the arm are usually taken out and looked at under a microscope to see if they contain cancer cells.

Types of surgery to remove the breast include:

Simple mastectomy: A surgical procedure to remove the whole breast that contains cancer. Some of the lymph nodes under the arm may also be removed for biopsy. This procedure is also called a total mastectomy.

Modified radical mastectomy: A surgical procedure to remove the whole breast that has cancer, many of the lymph nodes under the arm, the lining over the chest muscles, and sometimes, part of the chest wall muscles.

Breast-conserving surgery, an operation to remove the cancer but not the breast itself, includes the following:

Lumpectomy: A surgical procedure to remove a tumor (lump) and a small amount of normal tissue around it. Most doctors also take out some of the lymph nodes under the arm.
Partial mastectomy: A surgical procedure to remove the part of the breast that contains cancer and some normal tissue around it. Some of the lymph nodes under the arm may also be removed for biopsy. This procedure is also called a segmental mastectomy.

Even if the doctor removes all of the cancer that can be seen at the time of surgery, the patient may be given radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy after surgery to try to kill any cancer cells that may be left. Treatment given after surgery to increase the chances of a cure is called adjuvant therapy.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells. There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.

Radiation therapy should not be given to pregnant women with early stage (stage I or II) breast cancer because it can harm the fetus. For women with late stage (stage III or IV) breast cancer, it should not be given during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the spinal column, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy). The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.

Chemotherapy should not be given during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Chemotherapy given after this time does not usually harm the fetus but may cause early labor and low birth weight.

New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. These include the following:
Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that removes hormones or blocks their action and stops cancer cells from growing. Hormones are substances produced by glands in the body and circulated in the bloodstream. Some hormones can cause certain cancers to grow. If tests show that the cancer cells have places where hormones can attach (receptors), drugs, surgery, or radiation therapy are used to reduce the production of hormones or block them from working.

The effectiveness of hormone therapy, alone or combined with chemotherapy, in treating breast cancer in pregnant women is not yet known.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Ending the pregnancy does not seem to improve the mother’s chance of survival and is not usually a treatment option.

If the cancer must be treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which may harm the fetus, ending the pregnancy is sometimes considered. This decision may depend on the stage of cancer, the age of the fetus, and the mother’s chance of survival.

Discover How You Can Treat Infertility Naturally, Without Drugs or Surgery

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Are you worried about…breast cancer?

Many women worry about getting breast cancer| , sometimes because one of their relatives has developed the illness. This section explains:

Why having just one, or even two, relatives with cancer
does not normally mean that there is an inherited genetic link in your family.
What we know about the causes of breast cancer.
What you can do to help yourself.
Cancer genes/family history

Genes carry the biological information we inherit from our parents. They affect the way our bodies grow, work and look. Changes (mutations) in certain genes can increase the risk of breast cancer in family members who inherit the genetic change. But only a small number of breast cancers are thought to be due to an inherited altered gene running in the family.

Two gene changes – called BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations – can run in a family and increase the breast and ovarian| cancer risk of those family members who inherit the genetic change. But they are not common.

How does my family history affect my risk of developing breast cancer?

It is only likely that a genetic mutation that can increase your breast cancer risk is present in your family, if you have:

three close relatives from the same side of the family (your mother’s or your father’s family) who developed breast cancer at any age
two close relatives from the same side of the family who developed breast cancer under 60
one close relative who developed breast cancer at the age of 40 or under
breast and ovarian cancer on the same side of the family, or a male relative with breast cancer, or a close relative with cancer in both breasts.

Your close relatives are your mother, sisters or daughters. They are sometimes called your first degree relatives.

If your family is like this, and you are worried about developing breast cancer yourself, you might want to talk to your GP. They will ask you questions about your family history. If you have a family history of any unusual cancers/childhood cancers or you have Jewish ancestry or other ethnic background (where a faulty breast cancer gene is more common), you should mention that to your GP. If your GP thinks there’s a chance that you might have an increased risk of developing breast cancer because of your family history, they will refer you to a genetic counsellor, family cancer clinic or a cancer specialist.

All women, when they are 50, are invited to join the NHS Breast Screening Programme| and offered three yearly mammograms until they reach 70. Women who seem to have inherited an increased risk of getting breast cancer may be offered yearly mammograms, and sometimes MRI scans, from an earlier age.

If you only have one middle-aged or elderly relative who has developed breast cancer, or one case of breast cancer on each side of your family, this does not significantly increase your risk. If you had one of the ovarian or breast cancer genes in your family, then it is likely that more than one relative on the same side of the family would have developed ovarian or breast cancer.

If you are worried about the occurrence of breast and/or ovarian cancer in your family and whether there might be an inherited genetic link, OPERA| is an online interactive software program that will offer you personalised information and support in the comfort of your own home.

If you are still worried

It can be a normal reaction to severe illness in the family, or to bereavement, to feel more vulnerable to the same disease. If you can’t stop worrying, you may find it helpful to see a counsellor, who can help you get things back into perspective. You can ask your GP, or call our nurses| for details of a local service. You could also call the Cancer Counselling Trust| to speak to a counsellor.

Mind| , the mental health charity, has published a leaflet called ‘How to Stop Worrying’.

Cancer risk

The cause of most breast cancers is not known. But we do know that some things – called risk factors – can increase our chances of developing cancer. Some risk factors are very likely to cause cancer, whereas others will only very slightly increase our likelihood of getting it.

Having a particular risk factor for cancer, or being exposed to one, doesn’t mean that we will definitely get cancer, just as not having it doesn’t mean that we won’t. Smoking is a good example of this. If you smoke, it isn’t certain that you will get lung cancer , just as if you don’t smoke, it’s not certain that you won’t. But smoking will greatly increase your risk of getting lung cancer. Nine out of ten people who develop lung cancer are smokers.

Cancer is very common and nearly 1 in 3 of us will develop it at some time during our lives. This means that most of us will have relatives who have had cancer. Surveys have shown that many people are worried that a history of cancer in their family greatly increases their risk. People often worry that an increased risk of cancer can be inherited, or passed on from one generation to another. In fact less than 1 in 10 cases of cancer (between 5 and 10%) have been shown to be due to a family history of the disease.

Other risk factors

Other risk factors in the development of breast cancer can play a bigger role than family history.

Age

Breast cancer is mainly a disease of older women and is rare in women under 50. Only 1 in 9 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime, but the older you are the more likely it is that you will develop the disease. In the UK more than half of breast cancers occur in women over 65. Women under 50 are at far lower risk of getting breast cancer than older women, and women under 40 have an even lower risk.

Hormone levels

There is some evidence that the more years a woman has had periods, and is therefore exposed to the female hormone, oestrogen, the more prone she is to breast cancer. This means that you may have an increased risk of developing breast cancer if you:

started your periods at an early age (under 12)
had a late menopause (after 50)
have not had any children, or had children after you were 30
have not breastfed or breastfed for less than 12 months in total.
The contraceptive pill

Taking the Pill slightly increases a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer. The risk decreases again after stopping the Pill.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

There is evidence that women over 50 who take HRT increase their risk of developing breast cancer. The risk begins to increase after 1–2 years of HRT use, and then goes on increasing the longer HRT is used. Combined HRT increases risk more than oestrogen-only HRT. Risk begins to decrease when HRT is stopped and is thought to be back to normal around five years after stopping.

Obesity

Being overweight, particularly after the menopause, is a risk factor for breast cancer. This seems to be because overweight people have different hormone levels compared to people who are of normal weight.

Lack of exercise

There is evidence that regular exercise reduces women’s breast cancer risk. This might be because physical activity regulates women’s hormone levels.

Alcohol

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol seems to increase women’s breast cancer risk. The European Code Against Cancer recommends that to reduce their risk of developing cancer women should drink no more than one unit of alcohol per day. A unit is half a pint of ordinary strength beer, lager or cider or one small glass (125ml) of wine or a single measure (25ml) of spirits.

Other possible risk factors

It has been suggested that particular diets, some dietary supplements and deodorants can increase the risk of developing breast cancer. However, there is no good evidence to support these claims. Scientists are studying many different possible factors, but so far the risk factors listed in this leaflet are the only ones where there is good evidence.

Reducing your risk

Although many of the known breast cancer risks are beyond our control there are other risk factors, known as lifestyle risk factors that you can control. It has been estimated that about one half (50%) of all cancers diagnosed in the UK could be avoided if people made changes to their lifestyles. These changes don’t mean that you definitely won’t get cancer – but they make it less likely. So here are some things that you might want to consider:

Take up some regular exercise

You don’t need to go to the gym – walking, cycling or gardening, done regularly, can be enough.

Try to maintain a healthy weight

Eating a balanced diet| , which contains plenty of fruit and vegetables, can help. Your GP can give you more advice.

Avoid smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol

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Although making these changes may reduce your risk of developing breast cancer, they do not guarantee that you won’t get cancer. But all of the above strategies will improve your health generally.

Signs and symptoms

Breast cancer, when it is found early, can be treated successfully. Unfortunately, the early signs of breast cancer can be hard to detect and are often unclear. You should see your GP if you have:

a change to the outline or shape of the breast
lumps or bumpy areas
nipple discharge that is new for you and not milky
feelings of discomfort or pain in one breast that are different from normal (many women say that their breasts are more tender or a bit lumpy just before they have their period).

In most cases, changes to your breast do not mean that you have cancer. But it is worth seeing your doctor. There is no reason for you to feel that you are wasting your doctor’s time if you have discovered a change in your breasts.

Regular checks and screening for breast cancer

Women over 50 years are invited to join the national screening programme and have a mammogram (x-ray of the breasts) once every three years until they reach 70. Women of 70 and over can continue to have regular mammograms by contacting their GP, who will arrange an appointment in a breast screening clinic. From 2010 all women aged between 47 and 73 will be called for regular breast screening.

Mammography can help to detect breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat.

We have further information on breast screening.

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