Guess the breast Cancer survivor

Active! Gives you the low-down on the number one cancer among urban women. Take inspiration from this mystery woman and three other celebs who have survived the deadly disease. Plus, how to do a breast self-exam

October is synonymous with festivals, celebration, beer drinking and the good life, but it is also marks 'Breast Cancer Awareness' month. With one in every cancer-related case being that of breast cancer, it is a disease that cannot be ignored.



Breast cancer is the most common cancer in urban women, overtaking cervical cancer in the late '90s. "While the exact cause of breast cancer remains unknown, factors like increasing age, family history, exposure to female reproductive hormones, dietary factors and benign breast diseases can give rise to breast cancer," says Dr Dnyaneshwar Shinde, in-charge ICU, Godrej Memorial Hospital.

Risk factors
While risk factors such as age are beyond one's control, others like drinking habits, can be modified. Explaining further, Dr Shinde says, "About 80% breast cancers develop in women over the age of 50. In the age group of 40 to 45 years, breast cancer is ranked first among all causes of death in women.

Breast cancer is uncommon in women younger than 35, with the exception of those who have a family history of the disease. The risk of breast cancer is about two times higher among women who have a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with the disease. Women who consume one alcoholic beverage a day have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. By contrast, breast cancer risk is nearly doubled in women who have more than three drinks daily."

The risk is increased in women with the longest known exposure to sex hormones, particularly estrogen. Therefore, the risk increases in women who have a history of early first menstrual period (before age 12), late menopause, no pregnancies or pregnancy after age of 30 and use of birth control pills.

"The reason urban women fall prey to cancer more than their rural counterparts is that women in villages are married younger, which means they give birth at a younger age and also to more children; they breastfeed their children longer than urban women, sometimes as long as eighteen months. Prolonged use of underwire bras is also a cancer risk," says Dr Anita Soni, Gynaecologist, Hiranandani Hospital. The pill's hazards, however, are difficult to assess, since risk apparently disappears in women who have not used oral contraceptives for more than 10 years.

The symptoms
The heartening news is that if caught early, breast cancer is curable. The trick is to watch out for symptoms. "Swelling of all or part of the breast, skin irritation or dimpling, breast pain, nipple pain or the nipple turning inward, redness, scaling or thickening of the nipple or breast skin, a nipple discharge other than breast milk or a lump in the underarm area are all symptoms of breast cancer," says Dr Anil Heroor, Oncosurgeon, Fortis Hospital.

"A lot of patients have a large mass involving the entire breast, ulceration and wounds over the breast, development of glands in the arm pit and in extreme cases involving the spread of cancer with pain in the bones, difficulty in breathing or headache or water in the abdomen," he adds.

Doctors stress on the importance of self-examination. "Cancer is screened through mammograms and biopsy, but it is only through regular breast self-exams that it can be detected on time. It is important that one conducts the examination on the same day of the cycle every month as hormonal changes affect the breasts appearance," says Dr Soni.

Treatment options
"Once diagnosed, we treat breast cancer with surgery, breast saving or removing surgery, chemotherapy and radiation," says Dr Heroor. "Previously, surgery involved mastectomy, which is removal of the entire breast. It would be very traumatic and few patients refused to undergo treatment if it was a mastectomy. Nowadays we can conserve the breast. For patients where conservation is not possible, plastic surgery reconstructs the breast," he says.

Not gender specific
Contrary to popular belief, breast cancer isn't gender specific, and though rare, men are known to suffer from breast cancer as well. There is no prevention for breast cancer and early detection is the only cure. "The problem in developing countries like India is that women do not come forth with their complaints out of shame and neglect.

Women still feel inhibited to consult a doctor, especially a male doctor, with problems regarding the breast. Financial problems and lack of facilities add to the delay," says Dr Heroor. Awareness is therefore key and crucial to early diagnosis.

It's singer Kylie Minogue!
The 'Chiggy Wiggy' singer who grooved with Akshay Kumar was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, after doctors had initially misdiagnosed her illness. After surgically removing the lump and undergoing chemotherapy, Kylie was back on her feet by 2009.



"It's amazing how many people are affected by cancer and it's definitely something that stays with you and you have a lot to think about and your life changes," she told the Associated Press. "I feel very fortunate."

Breast Cancer Survivors
Olivia Newton John: The Grease superstar was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, but chooses to focus on the positive rather than mull over it. Soon after her diagnosis, she began calling friends and family to tell them the news. "The second friend I called burst into tears, and I thought, 'I don't need this,'" she says. "So I had a sister and friends make the calls. That way I could focus on positive thoughts, instead of on the illness."

Sheryl Crowe: Soon after her split with fianc ufffd Lance Armstrong, singer Sheryl Crowe was diagnosed with breast cancer. Crowe had "minimally invasive" surgery in late February 2006, followed by radiation therapy. In a bid to recover faster, she surrounded herself with positive people. "Encouragement goes a long way. It's so scary, but having the positive support of loved ones is invaluable," the singer was reported to have said.

Christina Applegate: Having been diagnosed with breast cancer as recent as July 2010, the actress has adopted a unique strategy to deal with her fear: Let it all out. "Sometimes, you know, I cry," she told Good Morning America. "And sometimes I scream. And I get really angry. And I get really upset, wallowing in self-pity sometimes. And I think that's all part of the healing."

5-step breast self-exam
1.Stand in front of the mirror with your shoulders straight and arms on your hips. Check breasts for size, shape, and colour without any visible distortion or swelling. Any dimpling, puckering, bulging of the skin, a nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple, redness, soreness, rash, or swelling should be immediately reported to the doctor.
2. Raise your arms and look for the same changes.Look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples. This could be a watery, milky or yellow fluid, or blood.
3. Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand and fingers flat together to feel your left breast and vice versa.
4. Using a circular motion, cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side, from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage. When you've reached the deep tissue, you should be able to feel down to your rib cage.
5. Feel your breasts while standing or sitting. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in the previous step.

Common myths about breast cancer
1. You only get breast cancer if you have a family history.
Eighty per cent of women with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. You may be the first in your family, so it's no excuse to skip your yearly mammogram.
2. I'm too young to worry about breast cancer.
Breast cancer can affect women of any age. The disease is more common in post-menopausal women, but 25 per cent of women with breast cancer are younger than 50. A lump in the breast should be checked immediately, regardless of age.
3. Mammograms are painful.
We're not saying it's comfortable, but it doesn't need to be excruciatingly painful. The amount of compression used can vary, but keep in mind that the greater the compression leads to a better reading for the radiologist, so consider it a bit of discomfort for a larger gain.
4. I eat a healthy diet, which will make me immune to breast cancer.
Diet does play a role in cancer development, but not by itself. No one food or vitamin will prevent breast cancer. At the same time, no one food is responsible for causing cancer. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and strive to get a variety of nutrients.
5. My mammogram was normal, so I don't have to worry about breast cancer.
If you feel a lump, always get it checked out, even if your last mammogram was clear. Also, it's important to get a mammogram yearly, as doctors will look at previous years' mammograms to assess changes in the breast over time.

Source: University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center