Breast Cancer: Medical Doctor Advises Women

BY CHIAMAKA AGOHA

A medical doctor with Christ health clinic, located in the Mile 2 area of Lagos, Dr  Jessica Roland has advised the womenfolk on the need to master how their breasts look and feel as a way of dictating a problem.

Dr Roland who spoke in an interview with our reporter, said this is one effective way of dictating breast cancer early, which is equally important in effectively managing the condition.

According to the doctor, Most types of breast cancers start with lumps , which he described as a mass in the breast.

She said women needed to seek medical advice and xray as a way of dictating the particular place the lump is, in order for the surgeon to carry out a proper surgery.

She added: “After the operation has been carried out, the patient would be asked to go for analysis to make sure that the tissue is all gone. In some cases where there are still traces of tissues in the breast, it could result to cancer”.

The doctor explained the process the ailment takes, saying that it starts when a cell in the breast begins to grow out of control, from a tumor that could often be seen in an x-ray or felt as a lump.

“Breast cancer occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get breast cancer too”.

Symptoms of breast cancer, according to the doctor aside the most common which is lump, are swelling of all parts of the breast, skin irritation or dumpling, breast or nipple pain, nipple retraction, redness, scaliness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin and nipple discharge etc.

The medical doctor said that the exact causes of breast cancer remain unclear, but some risk factors make it more likely, and these include ageing, genetic history, a previous breast condition or treatment, dense breast tissue, estrogen exposure and breastfeeding, body weight and alcohol consumption.

She said the treatment available for breast cancer includes, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

In addition Dr Roland pointed out that the stage were the cancer is, determines the chances of survival of any patient with breast cancer, and that unusual feeling in the breast should be promptly brought to the attention of a medical practitioner.