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| QUESTIONS AND FACTS |
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1 - Can smoking and drinking alcohol increase my chance of getting breast cancer?
Although smoking causes lung cancer and heart disease, there has been no conclusive evidence that smoking by itself has any effect on the incidence of breast cancer. However, women who develop breast cancer have a lower cure rate if they are smokers. Alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing breast cancer. We need to address the fundamental mechanisms of cancer causation with more research. |
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2 - Is it true that breast self-examination will find tumours at a curable stage?
In some cases, yes. Although this method is not infallible, small lumps can sometimes be detected at a very early stage of the disease. Breast self-examination is a very easy and inexpensive part of an early detection program. |
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3 - If I have no family history of breast cancer and eat right and exercise, will this decrease the risk of breast cancer?
Although family history of breast cancer is an important risk factor, 80 % of women who develop breast cancer have no family history. In addition, 70 % of breast cancer cases do not have any unusual risk factors. Nevertheless, proper health habits can be beneficial, and there is increasing evidence that breast cancer rates are lower in societies where these practices are common. |
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4 - If I have a fibrocystic growth am I at an increased risk of developing breast cancer?
A fibrocystic growth is a benign affliction of the breast. It does not in any way increase your chances of developing breast cancer. |
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5 - If I have a lump in my breast, is it necessarily breast cancer?
No. Over 80% of breast lumps are benign. However, all breast lumps should be evaluated by your doctor. A follow-up biopsy is often recommended. |
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6 - Can men get breast cancer?
Although it is rare, men have breast tissue and can develop breast cancer. There are approximately 180 cases diagnosed every year in Canada. |
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7 - If a woman diagnosed with breast cancer has a mastectomy will she be completely cured ?
Research has shown that lumpectomy followed by either a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, or radiation treatments alone, can be as effective as a mastectomy in reducing the risk of recurrence. However, neither procedure can guarantee that the cancer will not recur. Chemotherapy and/or radiation may eliminate cancer cells that may have spread. |
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8 - Are all breast cancers inevitably fatal?
No. Most women who develop breast cancer survive it. Early stage breast cancers as well as more advanced stages can be treated effectively |
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9 - What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
Breast cancer symptoms may go unnoticed. Unfortunately, there are instances when there are no symptoms at all. However, once a cancer begins to progress, the following changes can be seen:
• appearance of a lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the under arm area;
• change in the size or shape of the breast;
• discharge from the nipple;
• change in the color or feel of the skin of the breast, areolas, or nipples (dimpled, puckered, or scaly).
These changes do not always mean breast cancer, but are changes a woman should have checked by her doctor. |
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