How to prevent breast cancer? Self-examination can help

Doctors recommend self-examination and regular checkups for early detection of breast cancer. A full body exam once a year and checking your breasts everyday while bathing can help in early detection. Lifestyle changes like exercising regularly, managing stress, and eating healthy can also help avoid it.

• What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
• Could you also tell us about the symptoms? Are there any early signs and symptoms that we should be aware of?
• Are there any ways to prevent breast cancer? How does early detection help?
• Breast cancer is one of the biggest cancer risks for women in India, are there any specific factors and risks for Indian women?
• Even men are susceptible to breast cancer, is that common in India?

Have you ever felt your breasts for lumps or any other irregularities? Have you had a mammogram lately or seen a doctor for a breast examination? If you haven’t, you are not alone, most women don’t. However, it is something that we need to change. Doctors recommend that women should go for a breast examination at least once a year to rule out any symptoms of breast cancer. And if you are above 40, you should definitely get a mammogram. These small efforts go a long way in prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common kind of cancer amongst women in India. A malignant tumour which starts in the breast cells, it can spread to other parts of the body through blood and lymph vessels. The World Health Organisation says breast cancer affects as many as 2.1 million women each year. In 2018, it accounted for about 15% of all cancer deaths among women, globally.

Doctors recommend that women should go for a breast examination at least once a year to rule out any symptoms of breast cancer. And if you are above 40, you should definitely get a mammogram.

WHO says early diagnosis and screening (mammography, clinical breast exam and self-exam) are critical for prevention and treatment of breast cancer. We spoke to Delhi-based laparoscopic surgeon Dr. Usha Maheshwari about the causes, symptoms, and prevalence of breast cancer in India, and how can women examine their own breasts. Edited excerpts:

What are the risk factors for breast cancer?

One is early menarche (occurrence of a first menstrual period). Girls have started getting their period very early. Earlier the average age was 14-15 years, which has now come down to about 11-12 years. Early menarche and late menopause are both risk factors. There is a hormone which acts on the breast and which is now being called responsible for breast cancer. The longer your breast tissue is exposed to this particular hormone, there are more chances that you will  get breast cancer. If your periods start early and it ends late, you are more susceptible to breast cancer. Every month the breasts are getting hammered by the hormone, so if you have an early menarche and late menopause, it is a risk factor for breasts, especially cancer.

There are also some benign diseases which are also a risk factor. Not having children and not breastfeeding are also risk factors. Obesity, smoking, alcohol, high stress, a fatty diet, bad lifestyle, irregular sleeping time, are all risk factors.

Family history is also a risk factor; if your grandmother (maternal and paternal), aunts, or cousins, if either of them have had breast cancer, then your risk increases manifold.

Early menarche and late menopause are both risk factors. There is a hormone which acts on the breast and which is now being called responsible for breast cancer. The longer your breast tissue is exposed to this particular hormone, there are more chances that you will  get breast cancer.

Could you also tell us about the symptoms? Are there any early signs and symptoms that we should be aware of?

The main symptom is actually a lump in the breast, so if you do your self examination regularly, you will be able to pick it up. If you feel a lump in your breast, which you did not have before, it is the most important sign.

Ideally speaking, every woman, right from menarche till we are alive, we should all make a habit of checking our breasts at least once a month thoroughly. The monthly examination should be immediately after your period. Suppose you start your period today, the next 6-8 days are the most silent time for the breast, that’s the best time to examine them. Now, how should we examine our breasts? You will have to learn from somebody. I generally advise everyone to go once to a specialist who can guide you on how to do it yourself, and with practice gradually you come to know what your normal breasts look and feel like, and then you can keep doing it so gradually your hands are trained.

You can do it once a month and daily while having a bath. When you have soap on your body, glide your hand on your breast with some pressure, if there is any lump or any tenderness or anything that feels abnormal (if you feel it’s something abnormal and that it wasn’t there yesterday),then you must see your doctor. That should be the schedule that you should follow all your life.

Ideally speaking, every woman, right from menarche till we are alive, we should all make a habit of checking our breasts at least once a month thoroughly. The monthly examination should be immediately after your period. Suppose you start your period today, the next 6-8 days are the most silent time for the breast, that’s the best time to examine them.

Are there any ways to prevent breast cancer? How does early detection help?

Early detection is self-examination and regular checkups. Seeing a doctor once a year, and checking your breasts everyday while bathing can help in early detection. For early detection these are the only ways. As far as prevention is concerned, lifestyle changes can help avoid it, but there is no other way to prevent it.

Breast cancer is one of the biggest cancer risks for women in India, are there any specific factors and risks for Indian women?

No, there is nothing India specific as such.

Even men are susceptible to breast cancer, is that common in India?

It used to be very rare in India earlier. But I have noticed more instances in the last few years. Even for men, history plays an important role as well.

Here is a helpful tutorial on performing a breast self-exam from City of Hope.

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