The U.S. National Cancer Institute defines breast cancer as “cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts and lobules that occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.”
The institute estimates about 207,090 cases of breast cancer in females and 1,970 cases in males in 2010.
Deaths from breast cancer are estimated to be around 39,840 females and 390 males this year.
With the chance of developing invasive cancer at some time in a woman’s life is about one in eight, it is not surprising that breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women all over the nation, exceeded only by lung cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the CNMI, and with this, October has been designated as the 2010 National Breast Cancer Awareness month in the CNMI.
On Sept. 30, Saipan Mayor Donald G. Flores signed a proclamation calling on all residents, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses and schools to recommit the community to increase awareness and understanding of breast cancer.
Organizations such as the Commonwealth Cancer Association are going all out spearheading various activities to spread awareness and educate the community about breast cancer for the whole month.
Check it out!
The CNMI Department of Public Health encourages women aged 20 years old and above to go for clinical breast examinations or practice breast self-examination on a regular basis.
To get screened for breast cancer, you can do breast self examination, get a professional to conduct clinical breast examination, and get a mammogram.
Any woman can do the breast self examination at home by looking for any changes in the appearance such as dimpling or noticing any discharge, and by touching and feeling her breasts using varying pressures to detect any lumps.
Health care providers in the islands provide regular clinical breast examinations where your providers will touch your breast to check for any lumps. Public Health recommends a professional breast examination at least every one to three years for women between 20 to 40 years old, and every year after.
Women 40 years and older should get a mammogram to detect cancers that are as small as a grain of rice.
Mammography is a safe, low-dose x-ray technique that creates images of the inside of your breast.
Public Health said mammogram is recognized as one of the most effective methods of detecting breast cancer long before physical symptoms can be seen or felt.
Women from 40 to 49 years old are encouraged to get mammogram every one or two years, then every year from age 50 and on, and do breast self examination every month. In other words, the Public Health is urging women to make screening for breast cancer a habit for life.
Remember:
Early detection is your best protection against breast cancer.
To get screened for breast cancer or for more information, visit the CNMI Breast and Cervical Screening Program office at Door 4 of the Commonwealth Health Center. You can also call 236-8731/27, fax 236-8700 or email cnmibcsp@pticom.com.
SYMPTOMS
Here are some symptoms to watch out for from the U.S. National Cancer Institute:
• A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
• A change in the size or shape of the breast
• Dimpling or puckering in the skin of the breast
• A nipple turned inward into the breast
• Discharge (fluid) from the nipple, especially if it’s bloody
• Scaly, red, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola (the dark area of skin at the center of the breast).
The skin may have ridges or pitting so that it looks like the skin of an orange.
You should see your health care provider about any symptom that does not go away so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated.
