Is swelling in the breasts a symptom of cancer?

While the incidence of breast cancer is low in India compared to many other countries, the figure seems to be increasing. This makes awareness about cancer and cancer treatment imperative among people. But not all lumps and swellings in the breast are cancer. Watch Dr. Vijayalakshmi Balakrishnan and Dr. Kriti Katherine Kabeer talk about abnormal lumps and swellings in the breasts.

   Occasional tenderness and pain in the breasts – Is it something to worry about?

• Pain in the breasts around the menstrual cycle period is very normal among women. The pain might occur in one breast or sometimes in both. Often you might also experience swelling of the breasts when the menstrual cycle is around the corner. The breasts might look engorged than usual, and the veins might look more prominent.
• Some women might get extra fat in the armpits, especially during pregnancy, which can also be painful during the menstrual cycle. You don’t have to panic since this is not something to be treated. Doctors usually advise the women to wear supportive bras.

Also Read: Raising Breast Cancer Awareness – Answers to questions you always wanted to ask

Is there any connection between the type of bras we wear and the incidence of breast cancer?

• No, there isn’t any connection between the type of bra you wear and the incidence of breast cancer. You can wear any bra if it supports your breasts correctly and without causing your pain.
• People sometimes complain of pain (non-cyclical) in the breasts, primarily because of the bras. Choose the ones that would provide proper support to the breasts.

     Watch the full video at 

Kauvery Hospital

Self-examination of the breasts regularly might help you be cautious and prepared at all times. Even if it is cancer, early cancer treatment can save you from a lot of stress, and this is possible only with regular breast examination and timely diagnosis.

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Cancer and Tobacco

Tobacco is one of the most discussed but also an easily ignored topic. Tobacco is the leading cause of cancer and the deaths resulting from it. Estimates show that the deaths due to smoking contribute to 10 million each year worldwide, and we have 120 million smokers in our country.

Tobacco smoke has about 7000 chemicals in it of which 72 are carcinogens with the ability to cause cancer. There are two forms of tobacco.

1.       Smokeless Tobacco

This is the most common and prevalent type, especially in India. Tobacco is chewed with betel nuts, and this is considered to be the major contributing factor of the increased oral cancer in India.

Chewing tobacco with betel nuts and storing it in the mouth can cause infections, leading to oral cancer. Ingestion of this juice is also known to cause food pipe cancer.

Other forms of smokeless tobacco like paan and gutkha are also in increase. These contain chemicals that aid in the induction of OSMF and later oral cancer. Snuff which is inhaled through the nasal cavity can cause nose cancer.

2.      Smoke Tobacco (Cigarettes)

Nicotine is a substance that is present in the tobacco which makes it addictive for the user. With cigarettes the nicotine enters the bloodstream through the lungs and with smokeless tobacco it reaches through gums and digestive system.

Also Read: What you eat can help you fight cancer

Smoking can cause lung cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer, and many more cancers. Smoking can also lead to the onset of other problems like heart diseases, sexual-related problems and such.

Passive Smoking: Most of us assume ourselves to be safe given we don’t smoke. But as mentioned before, tobacco smoke contains carcinogens, and regular exposure to the smoke while the other person is smoking can also cause cancer. Thus you must avoid tobacco on the whole and stay away from exposure.

Treatment

Cancer can be treated and even cured if diagnosed in the early stages. Thus if you have smoking problem meet a cancer specialist who can help you with the early diagnosis and oral cancer treatment or any cancer-related problems.

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