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The breast is composed of different tissues that are subjected to hormonal changes experienced by every woman in every menstrual cycle and throughout his life. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and many other factors modify it.

There is a glandular tissue is distributed in clusters. He is in charge of producing milk during lactation. There is a fibrous tissue that supports the breast and fatty tissue that cushions. As in other organs, there are arteries, veins and nerves that maintain the circulation, can give nutrition and sensitivity. An important role played by the lymphatic system defends possible tumors and infection. It is responsible, so to speak, to clean breast of “waste products”, diverting them to the lymph nodes found in the armpits and supraclavicular fossae. It is for this reason that not all breast examination must never forget these regions.

Risk Factors

There are a number of factors that may predispose a woman to suffer from breast cancer.

* The diet rich in animal fat and overweight.
* Breast cancer is apparently not hereditary, however, those women with a family history of breast cancer are more at higher risk and should be monitored more closely.
* It is more common in women who began their rules and early evening are gone.
* The disease is more common in women without children or who have had beyond the first 30 years.

Benign breast lesions

Fortunately, most of the changes that occur in the breast are benign. These include:

* Fibroadenoma. It is a solid tumor that occurs primarily in young women. It has a very low malignant potential.
* Fibrocystic breast disease. It’s “a way of being” of the breast. They are very fibrous breasts with a tendency to form cysts. Are difficult to scan both the doctor and patient, but no breasts are abnormal.
* Mastitis. Breast infections are. Appear more frequently after birth. With proper treatment and hygienic measures are usually solved without problems.
* Duct ectasia. Level are dilated ducts of the breast can cause discharge from the nipple retraction and sometimes the same.

Benign breast lesions

There can be a series of changes in the breast that every woman should know, since often warn that there is some alteration in the breast. Do not panic but be alert and see a specialist.

* Increased size of one breast in a short period of time. Very often one of the two breasts is larger than the other, but not normal the sudden growth of one of them.
* Palpation of a package for small.
* Discharge from the nipple. It is useful to look at the color of it.
* Changes in the skin. Redness, eczema …
* Alterations to the level of the areola or nipple. Ulceration, retraction …
* Pain in the breast and pectoral region.

After eighteen years of first sexual intercourse, it is necessary to perform an annual gynecological examination in which should include a full assessment of the breasts.

Breast self-examination. The breast is an organ that can reach them easily. We see and we can touch. Every woman should know your breasts, see the changes that occur in them. This technique is very simple, painless, safe and convenient, but nevertheless only two thirds of women practiced once a year and third once a month as recommended. Often it is through ignorance or how to do it for fear of finding “something wrong”. What we want to achieve with this informative text is to clarify their doubts.

A good time for self exploration is a week after menstruation. In cases where there is no menstruation can be done in the first week of each month. The steps are:
Visual inspection

Naked from the waist up, stand in front of a mirror and look. First with his arms folded, then raised them. You have to watch that there is no deformity, blemish, bulge, shrink …

Squeeze a little to rule out any nipple discharge.
Palpation

The woman must be lying

The arm of the breast to explore should be placed behind the head and felt with the opposite hand with fingers fully extended. If you find something that looked strange, will be explored at the same level the opposite breast and compared. Do not forget the armpits to feel any lumps however small.

If during these maneuvers will find some alteration, should not be alarmed, but contact your gynecologist.

Diagnostic methods

- Finally, when doing a mammogram? Are its radiations harmful?. At 35 years should have a mammogram call “DB” in order to put images with which to compare future. After forty years, should get a mammogram at least every two years. Before age 35, by the special characteristics of the breast at the time, often more useful ultrasound, although the doctor will assess the most appropriate in each case. With mammography has been made to detect cancers in early stages that had not yet given clinical symptoms. It has proven to be a safe technique with minimal radiation risk.

If a lesion was detected by fine needle aspiration or biopsy, get a sample of it that will be decisive for the type of operation performed.

In recent years the number of cases of breast cancer has been increasing and many of them if they had caught earlier would not have claimed the lives of many patients. That is why it now considers the early diagnosis of breast cancer is the most important factor in reducing the mortality from the disease. Yet this does not intend to frighten, but to get a proper diagnosis of benign and malignant diseases of the breast.

In summary, the most important thing is to make a correct early detection of breast cancer to achieve healing of it and a good prognosis. Know that you play a key role in controlling their health. The person who best knows his mom is you, therefore, is best placed to detect changes in it.

Tags: Benign breast lesions, Breast self-examination, Diagnostic methods, producing milk, Risk Factors