Recognizing Early Signs of Breast Cancer
- Chance the Rapper, 30, was close with his late aunt, who bravely battled inflammatory breast cancer, which progresses rapidly, before passing away. He helped raise awareness about the disease by sharing her cancer journey.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women at average breast cancer risk begin screening for breast cancer at age 40. Women with the BRCA gene mutation, who have a family history of cancer, or have dense breasts are at higher risk and should talk with their doctor about screening earlier.
- 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.
- SurvivorNet experts recommend performing a monthly breast self-exam to look for anything unusual with your breasts because it can help catch breast cancer between regularly scheduled mammograms.
“She was a warrior,” Chance the Rapper, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, 30, once wrote in a social media post.
Read More“I first realized something was wrong [when] my breast was going from purple to burgundy, and it was hot and getting bigger and warmer. It was painful, so I knew something was wrong, but I just thought that it was just an infection — they come, they go,” Kimberly Bennett said in the foundation’s YouTube video.
At the time, Kimberly was preparing for a birthday celebration trip, but after seeing her doctor, she was told to cancel the trip because she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.
In May 2017, Bennett passed away from breast cancer. Her famous nephew posted to social media, “My Auntie Kim lost her battle with breast cancer early Sunday morning.” He added Kimberly’s video message for the foundation to the heartfelt post.
Expert Resources on Breast Cancer Detection
- 6 Common Excuses for Skipping a Mammogram That You Need to Stop Using!
- Mammograms Are Still the Best Tool for Detecting Breast Cancer — A Warning About Thermography
- Earlier Mammograms for Black Women May Reduce Breast Cancer Mortality Disparity Rates By 57%; How to Screen for this Disease
- How a Breast Cancer Diagnosis Impacts the Marriages of African American Women; Plus, Tips for Coping
Understanding Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)
Inflammatory breast cancer accounts for “1 to 5%” of all breast cancer diagnoses in the U.S., the National Cancer Institute says. This type of cancer progresses quickly in a span of a few weeks or months. When it is diagnosed, the cancer is often in stage 3 or 4. IBC is more common among younger Black women and obese women, and it is often hormone receptor-negative, which means this cancer does not need estrogen or progesterone to grow.
Most notably, symptoms for inflammatory breast cancer present as swelling of the breasts and a reddish-purple coloration on the breasts. Patients diagnosed with the disease may not produce a lump in the breast that is most often associated with early signs of breast cancer. A mammogram, an ultrasound, and enhanced imaging like a CT scan can help confirm a diagnosis.
Chemotherapy, followed by surgery to remove the tumor via a mastectomy, which is then followed by radiotherapy, is the first line of treatment.
Breast Cancer Symptoms & Self-Exams
Women are encouraged to do regular self-exams to become familiar with how their breasts feel normally, so when something unusual like a lump does form, it can be easily detected. A self-exam includes pressing your fingertips along your breast in a circular motion.
WATCH: Getting to Know Your Breasts with Self-Exams.
Below are common symptoms to look out for:
- New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast
- Swelling on all or part of the breast
- Skin dimpling or peeling
- Breast or nipple pain
- Nipple turning inward
- Redness or scaliness of breast or nipple skin
- Nipple discharge (not associated with breastfeeding)
Breast Cancer Screenings
Mammograms are used to screen for breast cancer. Women who haven’t gone through menopause are typically encouraged to get a mammogram annually between the ages of 45 and 54. If you have experienced menopause, you can get a mammogram every two years.
However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women begin screening for breast cancer at age 40. Women should talk with their doctor to learn about their cancer risk and assess when a good time is to start annual mammograms.
WATCH: Mammograms Are Still the Best Tool for Detecting Breast Cancer
“We all agree regular screening mammography saves lives,” Dr. Connie Lehman, a professor at Harvard Medical School, told SurvivorNet.
Suppose you fit into the high-risk category for breast cancer, meaning a close family relative has been diagnosed. People at higher risk may have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation or had radiation to the chest area when they were young. In cases like this, people in the high-risk category should begin annual mammograms at 30 years old.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you may have questions about keeping your strength through treatment. Here are a few questions to help you begin the conversation with your doctor:
- What side effects are associated with my treatment plan?
- Are there steps I can take daily to help minimize these side effects?
- What physical activity routine do you recommend for me during treatment?
- Do you have recommendations for someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy exercise?
- Can you recommend a dietician who can help me with healthy eating tips and weight maintenance?
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