FOR THE LADIES: Here Are 10 Things You Need To Know About Breast Cancer

Statistics show that 1 in 8 U.S. women (about12% ) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime . In view of this statistics and many more. Here are 10 things you
need to know about breast cancer:

1.Most breast cancers begin in the cells that line the ducts. Some begin in the cells that line the lobules, while a small number start in other tissues.

2.Breast cancer cells have the ability to spread to other sites in the body especially when they have spread to lymph nodes. The more lymph
nodes with breast cancer cells, the more likely it is that other organs might also be affected.

3.Most breast lumps are not cancerous.
However, when it is noticed in the breast, it needs to be viewed under a microscope to prove its not cancer.

4.Men can also develop breast cancer but it is more common among women than men. This is probably because men have less of the oestrogen and progesterone which have the capability to promote breast cancer growth.

5.Nothing about wearing a bra which includes the cup size, average number of hours per day a bra was worn, wearing an underwire bra and age
when women first started to wear bra regularly was linked to breast cancer risk according to a study.

6.Research has shown that women diagnosed with breast cancer who had higher-than-average vitamin D levels are much more likely to survive breast cancer than women who had the lowest
vitamin D levels.

7.The earlier a woman started smoking and the longer she smoked, the greater her risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

8.Breastfeeding can lower breast cancer risk, especially if you breastfeed for longer than 1 year. This is because making milk limits breast cells’ ability to act abnormally and most women
have fewer menstrual cycles when they are breastfeeding, which means lower estrogen levels.

9.Breast cancers can be prevented if women adopt healthy behaviours such as exercising, eating healthy food, maintaining a healthy weight
and avoiding alcohol.

10.Every woman should make breast self-exam a part of her monthly routine. Any changes in the breast should be discussed with a doctor. This is
because the earlier breast cancer is found and diagnosed, the better your chances of beating it.