Breast Pain: Should I worry it could be Breast cancer?

February 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Definition

Mastalgia is breast pain. There are two types of mastalgia or breast pain: cyclic and noncyclic. Cyclical breast pain is most often associated with menstrual periods. Noncyclical breast pain is not related to the menstrual cycle.

Causes

Mastalgia can be caused by:

  • Hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle
  • Pregnancy
  • Trauma to the breast
  • Mastitis
  • Thrombophlebitis
  • Stretching of breast ligaments
  • Pressure from a bra
  • Hidradenitis suppurativa
  • Certain medications, such as hormone medications, antidepressants, or certain heart medications

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase your risk of having mastalgia may include:

  • Having a history of breast surgery or breast injury
  • Having large breasts

Symptoms

Symptoms of mastalgia may include pain in the breast area. Pain may be mild or severe. It may occur in both breasts or just one. It may be painful only in one spot or all over the breast.

When Should I See a Doctor?

Call your doctor right away if you have any signs of infection, such as redness, tenderness, fever, or chills.

Call your doctor if you notice any other changes in your breasts, such as:

  • Change in the size or shape of your breast
  • Discharge from your nipple
  • New lumps or masses felt in the breast
  • Other changes to the skin on your breasts, such as crusting, dimpling, or puckering

Call your doctor if your breast pain persists, interferes with your daily routine, or is in one specific area of your breast.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. The diagnosis is most often done with history of pain.

Your doctor may order further testing to look for any suspicious changes. These tests may include:

  • Mammogram
  • Ultrasound
  • Breast biopsy

Treatment

Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Treatment may be based on what is causing your breast pain. General treatment options include:

Medications

Topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may reduce the pain associated with mastalgia. Other medications may be prescribed to help reduce cyclical mastalgia.

If you are taking hormones, such as estrogen or progesterone, your doctor may make changes to your medications to reduce pain.

Other Treatments

Your doctor may suggest some changes depending on the cause of your breast pain. These might include:

Prevention

There are no current guidelines to prevent mastalgia.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: , ,

Screening Mammograms: How to Teach Patients & Promote Compliance

November 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment

What Is Patient Teaching about Breast Cancer Screening – Mammography?

  • Patient teaching about breast cancer screening mammography (SM)  can defined in simple terms as the process of providing helpful information to patients before, during, and after mammography. This is to increase their knowledge of the procedure and enhance their ability to cope with the procedure and related results.

    • What Patients need to know about screening mammograms:

      screening mammogramPatient teaching about Screening Mammogram involve: –

      • Teaching patients about the purpose of breast cancer screening
      • The risks involved and benefits of screening mammograms
      • How to prepare for mammography
      • What to expect during the procedure
      • Strategies for coping with the screening mammogram procedure and findings.
      • Screening mammogram is the single most effective method for early breast cancer detection because it can identify breast cancer several years before physical signs and symptoms are apparent.
      • Lack of screening mammograms and infrequent  screening mammogram are widely recognized as major factors contributing to increased breast cancer mortality

    • How to teach patients about screening mammograms:

      First time experience can be uncomfortable to many women but with correct teaching, compliance can be achieved. Teaching and motivational activities like face-to-face instruction, written materials, video presentations and pre-visit tours can be utilized to teach and support patients in learning about mammography and breast cancer screening

      • Make teaching and learning an ongoing process by using combination strategies like sending a reminder letter, providing a pamphlet about screening mammograms & discussing concerns about discomfort during mammography. This has been shown to be more beneficial than face-to-face instruction only
      • Use of informed decision-making process is important when promoting health screening such as screening mammogram. In educated population, research has shown that use of leaflets with decision aids appear to increase knowledge and participation in breast screening and have a positive impact on reducing decisional conflict.

    • Where does teaching about screening mammograms occur?

      Patient teaching about breast cancer screening mammograms typically begins in primary care, but can also be introduced at any time of clinic or hospital visit. Public education has shown to yield the best results about screening mammograms.

      • Every possible effort should be made to promote seamless delivery of patient teaching throughout the course of care and after screening mammogram.
      • Conflicting information about breast cancer screening mammograms should be avoided to reduce frustration and confusion and increase

    • Who is the best to teach about breast cancer screening mammograms:

      Patient teaching about breast cancer screening mammogram can be given by healthcare professionals like physicians and nurses and should not be delegated to assistive clinical staff or none clinical staff.

      • Research has shown that the most effective educators of women undergoing mammography are those who individualize information to specifically address their learning needs – women just like them
Filed Under: Education, Screening, Treatment Tagged With: , , ,

Life Without Breast. A New Tribe of Scarred Breast Cancer Heroes

July 26, 2013 by 9 Comments

mastectomy 4“Breast cancer is not a Pink Ribbon”. Please say that out loud and tell it to your friends…”BREAST CANCER IS NOT A PINK RIBBON”. The diagnosis of breast cancer is a chilling experience not only to the sufferers themselves but also the families and friends around them.  The attention breast cancer get is high yet not high enough that we need to not only talk about the pink ribbons but also address what breast cancer treatment is all about. It’s time to take the bull by its horns!

Scar 1Breast is the greatest symbol of femininity in all mammals. In many mammals, the only way to tell the physical difference between a male and a female is the mammary glands AKA breast, or udder in four-legged animals.  Breast cancer specifically affects the greatest symbol of femininity tearing down and shattering many women definition of beauty. Cancer treatment, even worse takes away the most prominent feminine features of human beings like hair, eye lashes, breast, skin and nails.

Breast reconstruction after mastectomy in breast cancer treatment is not only physically painful but also emotionally and sexually destructive. Women value breast as one of their strongest attraction points for men. This explains why we spend billions of dollars every year to augment breast so as to look “HOT” and appealing to men

I was searching Google on breast cancer survival stories and I noticed that very few stories talk about the emotional pain women go through during their breast cancer fight. Very few breast cancer survival stories address the issue of mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgeries that only happen to well insured and those whose condition allows.

mastectomy 5I came across the SCAR project by David Jay, a fashion photographer who has committed his photography into re-empowering women after mastectomy. David is a true hero to me because as a man, he has taken the greatest stigma of feminine beauty and used it to show breast cancer survivors that they can be beautiful even after breast cancer surgery

mastectomy 6Breasts are normally obscured in non-pornographic photography/media but David defied the norms and used his photography to show how women look after mastectomy. Rather than demoralizing, David’s photography is empowering and creating a new tribe where the world will view breast differently.

In many situations total radical mastectomy needs to be done to save breast cancer sufferer life. In some occasions, even reconstruction may not be possible. David Jay’s scar project has proven against the normal expectations that by photographing women for the scar project is not only helping women regain the courage, confidence and positive view of their femininity and sexuality but also empowering the public to view them as beautiful again.

 

scar2To me, these SCAR project pictures show a new shift in society’s acceptance of a tribe of scarred, breastless and one breasted women. It is a high time we start accepting SCARRED women are just as beautiful since 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. This new tribe inspired by David is growing and will at some point in future became the norm, just the same way we no longer see pregnant women as unattractive. This exposure will help women to accept what we might not be able to change. Perhaps fashion designers will soon start making bras for women with one breast and accept them as “normal.” What if not having breasts or having one breast became acceptable? What if mastectomies and scarred breast are seen as a symbol of honor and strength? What if the society could tone down the breast obsession with breasts just a little bit and appreciate David work on SCAR project for pioneering the new “normal” for breast cancer fighters and survivors?

Share this article on Facebook to appreciate David Jay’s Work.

Please check out the SCAR Project at http://thescarproject.org/ for more photos and information.

Filed Under: Health and Well Being, Motivational Tagged With: , , ,

Breast Cancer Symptoms

July 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Breast cancer is one of the biggest killer of women today. The increase of mammogram screening has revealed more breast cancers than ever before. Still, mammograms are not 100% perfect and can miss some breast cancers. Sometimes unfortunately, many women only learn they have cancer when noticeable symptoms appear. The most common symptoms include:

  • A new painless hard and irregular breast lump or mass may appear 
  • A new painful, tender soft and round breast lump or mass may appear 
  • Generalized swelling  for part or all of the breast, with or without a lump
  • Painful or painless swelling in an underarm lymph nodes without any breast lump/mass
  • Skin indentions or dimpling
  • New breast skin irritation or inflammation
  • Breast skin redness, thickening, or scaliness
  • Breast nipple retraction or change in shape
  • Breast nipple thickening or change in color and/or shape
  • Non-milk nipple discharge that could be pus-like but particularly blood
  • Generalized breast pain or nipple pain
  • Breast tenderness or soreness
  • Change in the size or shape of the breast
Filed Under: Health and Well Being Tagged With: ,

Fungating Breast Cancer. Lucy’s Story

July 20, 2013 by 8 Comments

Summary: Breast cancer in Sub-Saharan is rarely diagnosed until late stages, sometimes when nothing else can be done. Cancer Free Women reaches out to educate women in remote areas of developing countries through churches and local seminars. Breast cancer patients are often neglected and abandoned in hospitals and left to die with no one by their side. Supporting our mission could help one life like the one you are just about to read

Meet Lucy:

Lucy Ncororo, 40 years old with breast cancer, was a patient admitted at the Meru District Hospital in Kenya for six months. No family or friend ever came to see Lucy since she was admitted. Lucy was admitted at Meru Hospice on 18th August 2002 after general hospital concluded her fungating breast cancer was terminal. In hospice, Lucy got a chance to narrate her ordeal. There are thousand such stories in Kenya…read on and share.

She had been married for about 10 years but divorced because she could not bear children. After the divorce, Lucy moved to live in a rented house where she met a man and they became lovers. This didn’t last for long as the man was already married with three children (as she later discovered).

Breast cancer knocked Lucy’s door midst her already complicated life. When Lucy started ailing, her temporary lover advised her to go back home, which she did. Her parents and siblings took her to Meru General District hospital. This was the last time she ever saw or heard from her family. She was abandoned. Lucy lost contact with her temporary lover who evidently only needed her for the good times and not during fight against breast cancer. In many African cultures, breast cancer is seen as punishment from gods for being unfaithful to the husband.

Lucy was divorced by her 10 year husband because she could not bear children but during her admission, she was not aware that she was six months pregnant with her new lover’s child. She was shocked to learn of it later as she counted her last days in this world. On 21st May 2003, God blessed Lucy with a bouncing baby boy by the name Moses Ntungai (means Man of God). Lucy felt that the coming of Moses during the hardest times of her life was a show of God’s mercy and a gift to her since she had longed to carry a baby for many years.

fungating breast massThe happiness of finally having a son was short-lived. Lucy’s fungating breast mass was growing bigger and bigger by the day. Her pain and suffering was becoming more and more intolerable. The mass became infected and need surgery though her health condition could not have allowed it. She could not have survived a surgery, if there was one available. Lucy was abandoned by her friends, family and lovers to die in the hospital. Meru Hospice was her new home. Doctors could not operate on her. Knowledge and resources were not there.
Meru hospice staff found that she and her baby had no clothes at all. She had no energy to feed her very young baby boy who laid beside her completely oblivious of what was going on. Meru General Hospital staff tried their best to ensure that they were comfortable but with little success due to lack of financial resources and personnel. Meru Hospice decided to shoulder her burden free of charge and provide her with whatever she needed. Her pain continued to become too excruciating as she fought hard away from death that was imminent. She needed high doses of morphine and other drugs, wound dressing material for the wound and clothes. The hospice bought clothes and toys for her ever-smiling baby.

Lucy’s health was deteriorating as days went by. With the help of hospice staff, Lucy was emotionally and spiritually in terms with her condition and what lied ahead. Lucy, despite all what’s surrounded her had a reason to reason to smile.
MosesBaby Moses at 5 months old and was doing really well; he was looking bright and healthy. But it was becoming progressively difficult for Lucy to take care of him. No relative ever came to visit her. She is abandoned to die alone. She depends on relatives of neighboring patients to assist her wash her clothes, change and feed her baby.
Meru Hospice took a further step and asked her if she wanted her son to be adopted. Lucy welcomed the idea with great relief since she had been thinking a lot about it. Moses now has a new home.

Another thorny issue was the question of her burial. Lucy’s relatives were certainly not going to come and bury her if they had not come to see her during her fight with fungating breast cancer. They probably feared being left with the responsibility of taking care of baby Moses. Usually, abandoned patients who die at the District hospitals are buried in mass graves. Lucy asked the hospice not to allow this to happen to her. The hospice made arrangements to oversee her burial and gave her the dignity she deserved.
Rest in Peace Lucy.

Help fight breast cancer in Africa

moses adapted

Lucy’s son finally got adopted. For more information about Lucy’s Son Noses, contact us if you would like to reach out and help

Help Fight Breast cancer

Story adapted from Here

Filed Under: Cancer Stories, Donation Tagged With: , ,

Fungating Breast Cancer

July 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Summary:

fungating Breast Cancer

A middle aged woman in Kenya with fungating stage 4 breast cancer.

Breast cancer mortality in Kenya and most of sub-Saharan Africa is about 75% compared to 10% in developed countries according to World Health Organization (WHO). Majority of women in Kenya do not know anything about breast cancer and those who do, they have no means of getting screened. There is acute shortage of healthcare professionals to take care of breast cancer cases. The country of 43 million has a total of 10 mammogram machines as of 2012 according to report published by ministry of health – Kenya. There are only 4 oncologists in Kenya and total of 7 in East Africa.

Introduction:

Meet Janet a breast cancer victim in Kenya. For the purposes of privacy, we’ll call her Janet from Nairobi, Kenya. Janet presented to the hospital with a stage 4 breast cancer. The problem started few years back but she thought it was mastitis and would go away. Janet visited local clinic where she got antibiotics but the problem never resolved.  On seeking second opinion from a different clinic, she was referred to a referral hospital miles away where she was diagnosed with Stage 4 fungating breast cancer.

Diagnosis:

Janet breast cancer diagnosis came 2 years too late from when she noted her first signs and symptoms. Janet did try to get medical help but it is obvious that the medical personnel Janet went to was under-informed about breast cancer. Janet recalls giving her signs and symptoms as:-

  • Inverted nipple
  •  Pain
  • Swollen armpit glands
  • Bloody discharge
  • Discoloration
  • Weight loss

Despite the fact that Janet went to seek medical help after the signs and symptoms were obvious, her prognosis was worsened by the fact that the clinician or the nurse that saw her in a field clinic misdiagnosed her.

On referral to a bigger hospital, a mammogram was not necessary as the cancer had grown to a point of penetrating the skin to form what is called “Fungating” breast cancer. Simple histological biopsies revealed that Janet had a metastatic breast cancer. A CT-Scan revealed involvement of the lungs and the liver. She remains admitted in a hospital waiting for treatment.

 

Treatment:

Obviously, Janet needs surgery to remove the fungating breast cancer mass. She needs chemotherapy and radiation therapy to increase her chances of survival. Janet requires high calorie nutrition, something she cannot afford, let alone other treatment. Janet is a Mom and a bread winner for her family. She requires support for her family financially, spiritually and emotionally.

None of the treatments have been started because there is no money to fund her treatment. Her fate depends on good Samaritans that may come through for her and giver a second chance to live.

 

Prognosis:

The longer Janet waits for treatment, the poorer her prognosis gets. While stage 4 breast cancers has poor prognosis in developing countries, Janet still stands a chance to see another day. Tens of thousands women like Janet are in similar situation in Kenya alone. Millions more women across Sub-Saharan Africa are suffering like Janet.

How you can help:

Janet breast cancer may have happened for a reason. Reading this article may have happened for a reason.  For those who are Christians, Roman 8:28 says, “all things happen together for good for those who trust God”. Janet needs help. Besides Janet, hundreds of thousands of women can benefit from a simple mammogram.

Learn how you can help

Filed Under: Donation, Treatment Tagged With: , , ,

How Kenyan Women Can Stay Ahead of Breast Cancer

July 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
  1. Women with a family history of breast cancer can lower their risk by breastfeeding their babies according to the Archives of Internal Medicine. In their study, it was revealed that Women with a family history of breast cancer were 59% less likely to develop pre-menopausal breast cancer if they had ever breastfed. In the past, majority of Kenyan women breastfed their kids but industrialization and urban life is decreasing the breastfeeding. This may have contributed in the current increase in breast cancer incidences in Kenya.
  2. Reducing dietary fat may reduce the risk of breast cancer according to the Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study in America. In the wake of economic growth and urbanization in Kenya, fatty foods intake like KFC chicken and red meats is on the rise. Our traditional low-fat high fibre foods like beans and vegetables offers the best breast cancer protection.
  3. The link between obesity and breast cancer have been very clear for many decades. Obese women are at higher risk of breast cancer than lean women. Eating small food portions of well-balanced diet low in fat and red meats is a good way to protect yourself from breast cancer.
  4. Mammography is the best way to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage. If it’s time to schedule your mammogram, make the appointment now. Most Kenyan women over age 50 has never had a mammogram according to a simple questionnaire conducted my Cancer Free Women in two local churches in Nairobi. Over 70% did not even know what a mammogram is. Among the 200 participants, 21% has had a close family member dies of breast cancer. Cancer Free Women has created a platform/website where you can sponsor a family, friend or a random person to get a free Mammogram in Kenya.
  5. Avoid Excess alcohol intake and smoking.
Filed Under: Health and Well Being Tagged With: , , ,