Breast cancer

Cancerous tumours of the breast can arise in any part of the breast, including the milk ducts, lobes, fatty tissue or lymphatic vessels and detection is usually by feeling a lump. Not all breast lumps are cancerous, some are cysts or fibroids. There are many different types of breast cancer including: ductal carcinoma in situ, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, inflammatory carcinoma, intraductal carcinoma in situ, lobular carcinoma and Paget’s disease of the nipple. Breast cancer is most common in women aged over forty and in post-menopausal women.

Risk factors: heredity and genetics, obesity, menstruation before the age of 9, menopause after age 55, having a first child after age 49 and having no or few children.

Who to consult: It is important to detect breast cancer in the earliest stage, when it is most curable and the outlook for survival is best. It is important to regularly examine your breasts and have regular mammograms. If you detect any lumps it is important to contact your GP straight away, as mammograms are an important factor in patient safety. Other practitioners to consult include a dietician, homoeopath, massage therapist, naturopath, oncologist, yoga practitioner.