Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Pakistani women. According to a report by the WHO, breast cancer was the cancer which presented with most new cases in 2018 in Pakistan. Out of all the cancer diagnosis in 2018, 19.06% were caused by breast cancer. Every 9th woman in Pakistan is at the risk of getting breast cancer and the unfortunate issue is that still, many people in the society are hesitant to talk about this epidemic.
If you talk to oncologists locally, it comes to known that majority of the women do not get themselves checked because they feel embarrassed and thus delay their diagnosis. The stigma attached to this situation can only go away by talking about it. Thinking along the same lines, we will be listing down some symptoms and prevention tips for breast cancer in this article, so that you can fight the monster of breast cancer with complete information.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom of breast cancer is a lump or mass in the breast. Along with a lump, nipple turning, nipple discharge and scaling of the skin are all signs of developing breast cancer. Changes in the size of nipple along with general pain in the breast are all signs which call for immediate action and a doctor should thus be consulted as soon as possible.
How you can prevent breast cancer?
Stop Smoking
Smoking is bad for health overall but it is a big risk factor when it comes to breast cancer. A cigarette is full of toxic substances which kill all the anti-oxidants in your body. Anti-oxidants are the main fighters when it comes to stop the growth of cancerous cells and when antioxidants in the body are drained out, the chances of cancer increase substantially. You should thus stop smoking especially if you are above the age of thirty.
Eat healthy
It is no secret that eating healthy not only helps a person in maintaining their weight but it also improves overall physical and mental health of a person. It is thus important to eat healthy if you want to avoid breast cancer. Try incorporating as much greens in your diet as you can and try to avoid fatty foods.
Exercise
Exercise is equally important when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. When you exercise, endorphins are released which counter stress hormones. Stress hormones catalyse the growth of cancerous cells and exercise directly counters this activity. Even though nothing can beat the benefits of a full workout, a brisk walk for thirty minutes can also be extremely helpful.
Get annual check-ups
Even though maintaining a healthy lifestyle is of prime importance, annual checkups are still necessary. Most of the cancer related deaths occur because of late diagnosis. All women of ages 18 and above should thus at least get an annual checkup from a breast cancer specialist in order to avoid any delays in the treatment.
Remember, the best treatment of breast cancer is prevention and timely diagnosis. If there is slightest of the delays, it could be catastrophic for the patient and their families.
—————-
This article was produced in partnership with oladoc.com, a digital health company in Pakistan. Using oladoc, you can find the best doctor in Lahore, Karachi & Islamabad, and book an appointment online.
