Cedarville University

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in North American women. One in every nine women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime; for some women the risk is even greater. Those at risk are:

• Women with a family history of breast cancer, particularly in mother, sisters, or daughters.


• Age ~ In general, the older you are, the greater your risk.


• Women who have never borne a child.
  
• Women who have their first child past age 30.


• Women who start to menstruate at an early age or have a history of benign breast disease.

The symptoms of breast cancer are: a lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area; a change in the size or shape of the breast; a discharge from the nipple; a change in the color or feel of the skin of the breast, areolas, or nipple (dimpled, puckered, or scaly). These changes do not always mean breast cancer, but are changes a woman should have checked by her doctor.

Breast cancer can be treated successfully when detected early and treated properly. Treatment may include surgical removal of the affected area (lumpectomy), and possible radiation and/or chemotherapy to prevent the spread of cancer to other body parts.

The best hope for early detection of breast cancer is to do a monthly breast self-exam. One reason is that it is easy to do and the more you do it, the better you will get at it. When you get to know how your breasts feel, you will quickly be able to feel any change, and early detection is the key to successful treatment. The best time to do breast self-exam is right after your period, when breasts are not tender or swollen. If you do not have regular periods or sometimes skip a month, do it on the same day every month.

E-mail clinic or call the office at #7862 to speak to a nurse or physician. A picture brochure and information on breast self-exam is available at University Medical Services. Call or e-mail to request a confidential copy via campus mail.

For more information about Breast Cancer from the American Cancer Society, click here.

Top of Page | Back to List