Breast cancer? Can you help explain?!
Question: I am only 16 but really want to know these things:
How do you know if you have breast cancer?
What age can you get breast cancer?
Can i get it at 16 years old?
What does it look like?
Does it hurt?
Thank you any one who can explain to me, I worry about this as my Nan had breast cancer 2 years ago. But i don't want to ask her about it that would be wrong and may upset her =(
I don't even know if she still has it or not she wont tell any of the family =(
Answers: I am only 16 but really want to know these things:
How do you know if you have breast cancer?
What age can you get breast cancer?
Can i get it at 16 years old?
What does it look like?
Does it hurt?
Thank you any one who can explain to me, I worry about this as my Nan had breast cancer 2 years ago. But i don't want to ask her about it that would be wrong and may upset her =(
I don't even know if she still has it or not she wont tell any of the family =(
First, it is exremely unusual for somene of your age to have breast cancer; it is a disease mainly associated with ageing - 80% of people diagnosed are over 50.
The only way someone can know if they have breast cancer is if their doctor thinks they have possible symptoms and refers them for tests which then prove positive.
Of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, lumps are probably the ones women find themselves most often. Most breast lumps are not cancerous. Cancerous breast lumps aren't usually painful, though they can be (mine was).
The fact that your nan has had cancer does not mean you will get it; it does not even necessarily mean that you will be at greater risk - only 5 - 10% of breast cancer cases are due to hereditary factors, the rest are random.
If your nan had breast cancer 2 years ago and she isn't currently undergoing treatment she is probably in remission, which is good.
read this link..this should answer all your questions..
http://www.yapstuff.org/page/healthy_bre...
She would be the best person to ask as she can give you details. But if you want to do your own research, visit: www.youngwomenshealth.org - where you can find out any and everything you might have questions regarding your health, and preventative things you can do to avoid such things as breast cancer.
1) The easiest way is to do a self breast exam. ----http://www.breastselfexam.ca/section4sli...
2) Any age, but usually when your older
3) Yes, but proably not
4) You may be able to see small lumps, your breasts may be asymmetrical (dont really worry about this one, it is very common for younger girls to have different sized breasts), or you might not see anything.
5) There may be some tenderness in the breasts.
Age is the most significant factor in determining risk for breast cancer. You'll know you have it when a doctor does a biopsy and finds cancerous cells. You can suspect you have it if you find a lump in your breast and you should be doing self-exams once a month.
Cancer looks like a lump of tissue. You can get it at any age, but breast cancer at 16 is extremely rare. You'll usually catch it before it starts to cause pain.
Cancer is simply a cell that won't stop self-replicating. Most cells have a mechanism for turning off the self-replicating process when there are enough of them. If a tumor (lump of cancerous cells) gets big enough, it can spread to other areas of the body, or simply interfere with normal body processes.
Usually, cancerous cells are recognised and destroyed by the body, but sometimes they aren't because they disguise themselves. There are several options for dealing with cancer. Prevention is the most obvious - avoiding manufactured growth hormones and carcinigens that mutate cell DNA. Removal of the tumor is often the case in breast cancer. Chemotherapy essentially poisons the body in the hope that the cancer will be destroyed while hopefully not killing you. Radiation targets the cancer more specifically, but cannot be used in combination with other therapies.
READ: The Allopathic Cancer Conspiracy
at: http://whale.to/a/cancer_c.html
Then think about trying this:
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I won't repeat the great answers that precede me, but I'll tell you this, My husband died of pancreas cancer (you'll see my answers elsewhere!!) and I vowed to take the best care of my body, to be able to take care of our sons. In September of the same year (2006) I received a notice that I'd missed last years mamogram. So I kept true to my vow and had this regular exam. They found a small, but cancerous area, proven by biopsy. (sticking you with a needle and extracting cells) They said it was stage 0, contained to the milk ducts. But it was very aggressive and replicating rapidly. I had a lumpectomy. there was no pain, except for the surgery site, and they had pretty great drugs for that :-) I followed up with radiation, and daily meds to catch any rogue cells (arimidex, used to be on tamoxifen. these are the most often prescribed follow up drugs, taken for 5 years, reduce recurrance of b.c. by 97% or so) SO, my point is, yes you could get it, but not likely till much later. (my mom and grandma got it too, but at ages 60- 70) Have the mamogram when it's time (age 40) and do it every year. caught early breast cancer is VERY treatable. I consider myself cured. (mine didn't look like anything, I couldn't even feel a lump, even tho the cells came right to the skin from deeper inside, no pain at all. ) I would ask her, personally, something like "i have something I'd like to ask, but if you're not comfortable, just tell me... can you tell me about your experience when you had your cancer?.. just straightforward, and she'll tell you if she can't /doesn't want to talk about it, in which case just give her a hug and tell her you love her!
best to you
(ps, as you get older, know there is a strong, direct link between drinking alcolhol, even just wine, and breast cancer. I used to like my red wine a lot, but never had heard of the strong link, so think before you drink!)
I am amazed at the epidemic of teens who think they have cancer. Where is this coming from?
People know they have cancer when they have been told they have it by a doctor. This is after they have been biopsied (had a tissue sample taken), which is after they have had other imaging tests showing a suspicious growth, which is often after something has been felt or spotted on a screening test.
I'm sure there have been documented cases of fetuses getting cancer. However, it is VERY RARE in children.
Cancer can't usually be seen (except skin cancer).
Sometimes it hurts. Usually it does not.
If you have a lump or bump that has been there longer than a few weeks, then tell your parents so they can take you to a doctor. No one on Yahoo Answers can tell you if you have cancer. But the odds are that you don't.