Contact Us | Call for your FREE in-home assessment 781-245-1880

ABC Home Healthcare Professionals
  • HOME
  • WHY CHOOSE ABC
  • SERVICES
  • HOME CARE NEWS
  • CAREERS
  • PAY MY BILL
  • HOME
  • WHY CHOOSE ABC
  • SERVICES
  • HOME CARE NEWS
  • CAREERS
  • PAY MY BILL

ABC's LATEST

Home Care News, Advice and More
October 18, 2022

Breast Cancer Awareness

Knowledge is Power: Breast Cancer Awareness

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in women aside from skin cancer. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness month, we ask that you read and share this post with the women in your life. Education is an ongoing opportunity for all of us. The more we learn; the wiser we become; the better informed we are; the more prepared we’ll be.

Reducing Your Risk and Early Detection

While there are lifestyle changes like eating right and exercising that can help reduce your chance of developing Breast Cancer, the most important thing you can do is to follow the early detection guide­lines recommended by the American Cancer Soci­ety. That means having a mammogram every year once you reach the age of 40 (if you are a high-risk candidate, your healthcare provider might suggest you begin at age 30); having a yearly clinical breast exam (CBE); and performing regular Self-Breast Examination (SBE). SBE is important because you know your self best and may be able to identify changes in your breasts rather than waiting for your annual ap­pointment. If you are in a high-risk category your health care provider may include an MRI screening along with the mammogram. While being proactive cannot stop someone from developing cancer – it can greatly impact the outcome and treatment course someone will undergo upon being diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

Be proactive for your health
Early detection means to catch the cancer BEFORE you start having any symptoms. A mam­mogram is the cornerstone of the screening process which the American Cancer Society recommends. Self breast examination is important to be performed throughout the year so that you notice any changes with your breasts. Just because you perform self-examination does not mean you don’t need to have a mammogram. A mammogram is designed to iden­tify Breast Cancer that is too small to be felt during routine breast self-examination or a clinical breast exam. The sooner cancer is caught – the more suc­cessful the outcome from the treatment plan. There is also a small chance that Breast Cancer might not be picked up as part of an annual mam­mogram. Therefore, it’s important that all women in good health continue to follow the American Cancer Society’s recommended early detection guidelines.

The Symptoms of Breast Cancer

The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass. Traditionally it’s a painless, hard mass with irregular edges, but it might be tender, soft, rounded or painful. With that in mind, it’s so important to have any new lump or mass checked by your healthcare provider as quickly as possible.

Other symptoms of breast cancer may include:

  • Swelling of all or part of a breast (even if no distinct lump is felt)
  • Skin irritation or dimpling; breast or nipple pain; nipple retraction (turning inward)
  • Redness, scali­ness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
  • Nipple discharge (other than breast milk). It’s possible for Breast Cancer to spread to lymph nodes under the arm or around the col­lar bone and cause a lump or swelling there, even before the original tumor in the breast tis­sue is large enough to be felt.

Your Health is Priceless

Do not let money be the factor that you put off your annual screening. Medicare, Medicaid, and most private health insurance plans cover mammogram costs or a percentage of them. Low-cost mammo­grams are available in most communities. Call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 for information about facilities in your area. You can also find more information here at Mass.gov.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Some of the most common risk factors for developing Breast Cancer include:

  • Age
    The risk of developing breast cancer in­creases with age. Women over the age of 60 have higher risk. Breast Cancer is not common, but it does occur in women under the age of 35.
  • Family & Personal History
    Individuals who’ve had a previous diagnosis of Breast Cancer or other Breast Disease are at an increased risk. If immediate family members have/had Breast Can­cer, your odds are increased. It’s very important to know the age of diagnosis for those individu­als.
  • The Breast Cancer Gene
    A person may be born with a change in one of the two genes respon­sible for breast cell growth. Individuals with an alteration in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have an increased risk of developing Breast Cancer. About 5-10% of all Breast Cancer cases are due to genetic changes.
  • Early menstruation
    Women who began menstruating before age 12 are at increased risk for develop­ing Breast Cancer.
  • Having later pregnancies
    Pregnancy before the age of 25 might lower the risk, where pregnancy after the age of 35 might increase it.
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
    Wom­en appear to have an increased risk of Breast Cancer while on HRT and a short time there­after, compared to those who have never used postmenopausal HRT (Women’s Health Initiative Study).

Talk with your doctor. It is so important that you share your family medical history to the best of your ability with your healthcare provider. It is through this com­munication that your doctor can help identify potential risks for your future health and implement the neces­sary precautions.

Resources

The web seems to have limitless numbers of resources these days. We’ve pulled together a small list of online sites with valuable tools and information.

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org    1-800-227-2345

Cancer.Net
www.cancer.net
Patient information from the American Society of Clinical Oncology

National Cancer Institute
www.cancer.gov   1-800-422-6237

National Comprehensive Cancer Network
www.nccn.org     1-888-909-6226

BreastCancer.org
www.breastcancer.org
Breastcancer.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete, and up-to-date information about BreastCancer.

Previous StoryHealthy Aging
Next StoryCaregiver Burnout

Related Articles

  • Tax Tips for Older Adults
  • Retirement

Leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

Past Issues of Our E-newsletter

Missed an issue? Read it online!

• February 2023
• January 2023
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• July 14, 2022
• June 21, 2022
• June 1, 2022
• May 2022
• April 2022
• March 2022
• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• August 2021
• July 2021
• June 2021
• May 2021
• April 2021
• March 2021
• February 2021

Sign Up for ABC's Monthly Newsletter

Have ABC's newsletter delivered right to your inbox.

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: ABC Home Healthcare Professionals, 233 Albion Street, Wakefield, MA, 01880, http://www.abchhp.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

Recent Posts

  • Tax Tips for Older Adults March 15, 2023
  • Retirement January 16, 2023
  • Resources November 10, 2022
  • Caregiver Burnout November 10, 2022
  • Breast Cancer Awareness October 18, 2022

Categories Dropdown

Archive

  • March 2023 (1)
  • January 2023 (1)
  • November 2022 (2)
  • October 2022 (1)
  • September 2022 (1)
  • August 2022 (2)
  • July 2022 (1)
  • June 2022 (2)
  • May 2022 (2)
  • April 2022 (3)
  • March 2022 (2)
  • February 2022 (2)
  • January 2022 (2)
  • December 2021 (1)
  • October 2021 (3)
  • September 2021 (4)
  • June 2021 (2)
  • May 2021 (6)
  • April 2021 (3)
  • March 2021 (4)
  • February 2021 (5)
  • December 2020 (3)
  • November 2020 (1)
  • August 2020 (1)
  • July 2020 (1)
  • June 2020 (2)
  • May 2020 (4)
  • April 2020 (3)
  • March 2020 (3)
  • February 2020 (1)
  • November 2019 (1)
  • October 2019 (5)
  • September 2019 (1)
  • July 2019 (4)
  • June 2019 (2)
  • May 2019 (1)
  • April 2019 (3)
  • March 2019 (3)
  • February 2019 (4)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • December 2018 (2)
  • September 2018 (1)
  • July 2018 (1)
  • June 2018 (1)
  • April 2018 (2)
  • March 2018 (1)
  • February 2018 (2)
  • November 2017 (1)
  • October 2017 (1)
  • September 2017 (1)
  • July 2017 (1)
  • April 2017 (1)
  • March 2017 (2)
  • February 2017 (1)

OFFICE LOCATIONS

ABC Home Healthcare
Corporate Office:
233 Albion St.
Wakefield MA 01880

Regional Offices:
Gloucester – 281R East Main St.

Lawrence – 354 Merrimack St.
Bldg 1 Entrance A Suite 277

Phone: 781-245-1880
Email info@abchhp.com

PREFERRED PROVIDER

ABC is an approved vendor for:
• Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs
• Area Hospice Providers
• Long Term Care Insurers
• Veterans Administration

MEMBERSHIPS

ABC is an active member of:
• Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts
• Home Care Aide Council
• SOMWBA Certified Women Business Enterprise
• Aging & Disability Resource Consortium of the Greater North Shore

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • ABC CAREGIVNG TEAM INFORMATION

Copyright © ABC Home Healthcare Professionals. All Rights Reserved