The doctor called the early signs of breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common oncological diseases in the world and in Russia. It ranks first in terms of prevalence among women, as well as first among the causes of cancer-related deaths in this group among Russians. Natalia Kusoit, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Invitro, told Izvestia about this on August 23.

Early signs of breast cancer include thickening of the tissues in the breast area, retraction of the skin over the lesion site, an increase in the size of the axillary lymph nodes and discharge from the nipple in non-breastfeeding women, the expert recalled.

Symptoms that are more specific to breast cancer that grows into surrounding tissues are visible deformity of the breast skin above the tumor detected during examination, especially when examined with hands held up, swelling of the skin like a "lemon peel" above or beyond the tumor, redness of the skin or the appearance of a bruise without previous injury, pronounced thickening the nipple and folds on the areola of the nipple, an increase or decrease in the size of the breast, pulling it up, an increase in the size of the axillary and supraclavicular lymph nodes, added Kusoit.

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Breast self-examination is important, but, according to the doctor, it is not a method of screening for breast cancer, and it does not replace a preventive examination by an obstetrician-gynecologist or a mammologist oncologist, as well as an ultrasound examination of the mammary glands or mammography.

"For women with a regular menstrual cycle, the optimal time for self—examination of the mammary glands is between the sixth and 12th day of the cycle, when the breast is least sensitive and swollen," the expert noted.

According to her, it is better for women who are menopausal or have an irregular menstrual cycle to have a self-examination on the same day every month. The procedure should be performed gently and carefully, trying not to injure the gland tissue.

During self-examination, special attention should be paid to any changes in the structure of the tissues, the shape and appearance of the mammary glands, the condition of the nipples and the skin. If any suspicious changes are detected, including nodulation, redness, thickening, as well as any unusual sensations, it is important to consult a doctor as early as possible, Kusoit stressed.

"If breast cancer is detected at the first stage, the chances of a full recovery are almost 98%. The sooner the tumor is detected, the more opportunities there are to save the patient's life and avoid the severe consequences of the disease," the doctor noted.

To effectively prevent breast cancer, the doctor also recommended avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as they increase the likelihood of cancer, monitor nutrition, include more vegetables, fruits, whole grains in the diet and limit the consumption of fatty foods and sweets, as well as exercise and avoid strong emotional stress.

On August 18, Irina Vasilyeva, head of the Mammology clinic at the European Medical Center (EMC), told Izvestia the main myths about breast cancer. According to the expert, the most dangerous myth about breast cancer is the belief that if there are no symptoms or lumps, then everything is fine.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.