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Though October is officially Breast Cancer Awareness month all over the world, now

is a good time as any for all women to take extra precaution when it comes to breast

cancer. HEALTH presents an in-depth guide to breast cancer…

The Facts

The incidence of breast cancer, points out specialist breast

surgeon Dr. Houriya Kazim is increasing globally. “Interestingly,

the more developed countries become, the more breast cancer

is seen,” she says and adds that researchers have reported that

in the entire Middle East region, breast cancer occurs 10 years

younger than expected and the disease tends to be much more

aggressive. The good news however is that despite an increase

in the number of cases being diagnosed, more women are

surviving. “Around five times more women are diagnosed with

breast cancer than who die from it,” she notes. “Why it is on the

rise is most likely multi-factorial related to changes in lifestyle,

food, environmental toxins, genetics and so on.”

All

You Need To

Know About

Breast Cancer

Awareness

Signs toWatch Out For

According to Dr. Iliana Gancheva

Dmitrieva, specialist obstetrician and

gynaecologist, when breast cancer

starts out, it is too small to feel and

does not cause signs and symptoms.

She explains, “Symptoms later on

may include a lump in the breast or

underarm, 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, pain in the nipple area, nipple

discharge, change in the size or the

shape of the breast, changes in color

or texture, and/or an inverted nipple.”

Sep/Oct 2015