"L" is for Lumps

  A WARNING TO ANYONE WITH BOOBS :

Regarding Breast lumps: Early evaluation is ESSENTIAL. It Can Save Your Life or at the very least, your Breast.

The earlier a cancerous lump is dealt with the greater a woman’s chance of surviving the ordeal becomes. The key is to catch it before it spreads or metastasizes to other parts of your body.

The first noticeable symptom of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. More than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when the woman feels a lump. Lumps found in lymph nodes located in the armpits can also indicate breast cancer — but take comfort in the odds. As many as 4 out of 5 breast lumps that are biopsied are noncancerous (benign). Still, it's important to have any breast lump evaluated by a doctor.

The hard part is breast tissue is naturally lumpy. You need to familiarize yourself with your normal breast tissue NOW to help determine if there's a change in your breasts. Consult your doctor if:

·         You find a breast lump that's new or unusual and feels different from breast tissue in either breast

·         A new breast lump doesn't go away after your next period

·         A breast lump seems to have changed — it gets bigger, for instance

·         You have bloody discharge from your nipple

·         You notice skin changes on your breast, such as redness, crusting, dimpling or puckering

·         Your nipple suddenly turns inward (inversion)

Those are the facts. Now here's my story:

For two years we monitored a hard pea shape in my left breast found during self-examination.After a series of mammograms, ultra sounds and ultimately an MRI,  it turned out to be benign, but due to all the tests, cancer was found in my right breast. And in a lymph node. The good news is it was caught early and both growths were very small. I still have enough breast on the surgery side to fill a bra cup.

No-one knows your body better than you do. Take some time for yourself and get better acquainted with your breasts.

Reputable sites to learn more about self-examination or about breasts in general:

• Breast Cancer Society www.breastcancer.org
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• Mama knows Breast  www.mamaknowsbreast.com
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• bOObs: A guide to your girls www.booksonboobs.com
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• www.touchyourselftrustyourself.ca
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• Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Organization  ww5.komen.org

Support Sites

• Circus of Cancer - A site to help you when your friend has Breast Cancer www.circusofcancer.org