“For most women a lump in the breast is the first sign of cancer”- Doctor

Oct 22, 2019 News

Doctor Patricee Douglas, the founder of the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Adventures, during yesterday’s edition of Kaieteur Radio’s “Your Health Matters” said that the first sign of breast cancer in most women is a lump in the breast.

Dr. Patricee Douglas

Dr. Douglas said that “Breast cancer is a condition whereby you have uncontrolled or abnormal growth of cells in the breast which are cancerous”.
She went on to explain that for most women, a lump in the breast may be an indication of brewing cancer hence self-examination is critical to capture the disease in its early stages. Going to your physician at least once a year is also recommended.
“There are other signs and symptoms such as if you notice that they have been a change in the size and colour of your breast, and you are not breastfeeding or pregnant that’s cause for concern,” she further noted.
The doctor said that some women have inverted nipples while some don’t. So if a woman was not born with inverted nipples and she had noticed that her nipples have retracted that’s another cause for concern.
Breast that are being drawn or lean in one direction need to be checked out as early as possible to detect defects. Change in the colour of skin, swelling, pain and the texture of an orange peel indicates that something is wrong.
“Being born a woman is the highest risk for breast cancer. As you get older that also increases your risk. Smoking, having a period before the age of 12, having a family history of the disease, if you had your last period after 55, never breast fed, never gave birth, being exposed to radiation or cancer causing chemicals are all risks of contracting the disease,” Dr Douglas noted.
Women, who have a genetic mutation that was passed on, as in the case of some families, the gene is passed on from generation to generation and they are at a way higher risk of having breast cancer.
“Remember if a lump is felt and abnormal amounts of pain felt, that should be checked by physician,” said Dr. Douglas.

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