Breast cancer or tumour is a dangerous health condition which must not be overlooked. This condition begins insidiously but ends up destroying more cells and organs than one could ever imagine. It is therefore important for every woman above 20 years of age to have her breasts examined from time to time.

What exactly is breast cancer?
It is the cancer that occurs in the breast tissues, especially in the ducts and lobules. It is not only limited to the females alone: it also occurs in males, though not very common.

The human body has a mechanism for regulating cells and tissues proliferation. This mechanism ensures that old tissues serve their life span and then die off to be replaced by newly produced ones. This helps to make sure that only the number of useful cells is maintained by the system at any given time.

However, there are situations whereby the hormone in charge of this balance gets things wrong and allows the cells to multiply in excess. The old cells that need to die off are still there and new ones are created. This excess leads to the formation of lumps or abnormal tissue which may be different from the parent cells or are distinguishable from the surrounding tissues. When this occurs, a tumour or cancer is said to have occurred.

Tumours occur in different parts of the body such as the brain, colon, testes, lungs, bones, etc. but when it occurs in the mammary gland it is referred to as breast cancer. However, it must be noted that not all tumours are dangerous to one's life. This is because some of them do not grow beyond the mere tiny growth you see and they do not also spread to other organs of the body.

Types of Tumour
Tumours are basically of two types - Benign and Malignant. The benign tumours, otherwise known as innocent tumours are those ones which do not grow excessively; they do not infiltrate other cells or tissues and they are not likely to recur after they are removed. Most times they are easily removed by chemotherapy or other methods of treatments without posing any danger to health.

Malignant tumours otherwise known as Cancers are the ones that do a great damage to one's health because they are able to invade and destroy tissues. They spread to neighbouring tissues and even to more distant sites through the lymphatic system and the blood. It alters the tissues of other organs by replacing them with its own cells. It is metastatic. Most times it is difficult to control them with chemotherapy especially if not detected on time and treatment started early.
So when the breasts are involved, the primary place of growth starts in the ducts or the lobules. This could sometimes bring about discharge of milk even when the individual is not breastfeeding.

What are the Types of breast cancers?

These include invasive cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), papillary carcinoma and colloid carcinoma. Papillary and colloid carcinomas are not as dangerous and invasive as the DCIS.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

1. Hardening of the breast tissue
2. Dimpling in the breast tissue
3. Retracted nipple
4. A change in shape or size of the breast
5. Red, scaly, swollen skin over the breast, nipple or areola
6. Pain or tenderness over a portion of the breast, nipple or areola.

The afore-mentioned signs and symptoms are indications that one may have breast cancer. However, they are not conclusive since other conditions can mimic this condition by presenting similar signs as well. Therefore the best thing to do when you notice any of the symptoms is to quickly see your doctor for thorough investigation.

Join My Health Forum to learn more on how to take care of your health. Joseph Ezie Efoghor is a Registered Nurse and Safety Officer. To get more of his write-ups, visit http://www.africannursesforum.com/blog

By Joseph Ezie Efoghor

Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. This growth may lead to metastasis, invasion of adjacent tissue and infiltration beyond the lungs. The vast majority of primary lung cancers are carcinomas of the lung, derived from epithelial cells. Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and the second most common in women,[1][2] is responsible for 1.3 million deaths worldwide annually.

What causes lung cancer?

Smoking
The incidence of lung cancer is strongly correlated with cigarette smoking, with about 90% of lung cancers arising as a result of tobacco use. The risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked over time; doctors refer to this risk in terms of pack-years of smoking history (the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by the number of years smoked).

Lung cancer most commonly begins in the cells that line your lungs. Smoking causes the majority of lung cancers — both in smokers and in people exposed to secondhand smoke. But lung cancer also occurs in people who never smoked. In these cases, there may be no clear cause of lung cancer. Doctors have identified factors that may increase the risk.

Cancer that originates from lung cells is called a primary lung cancer. Primary lung cancer can start in the airways that branch off the trachea to supply the lungs (the bronchi) or in the small air sacs of the lung (the alveoli). Cancer may also spread (metastasize) to the lung from other parts of the body (most commonly from the breasts, colon, prostate, kidneys, thyroid gland, stomach, cervix, rectum, testes, bone, or skin).

Lung Cancer Symptoms
Lung cancer symptoms are commonly not experienced until the disease had advanced, sometimes delaying diagnosis. The symptoms of lung cancer also mimic the symptoms of other benign illnesses.

The most common lung cancer symptoms experienced are:

Onset of wheezing

Recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis
A sign is also an indication that something is not right in the body. But signs are defined as things that can be seen by a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional. Fever, rapid breathing rate, and abnormal breathing sounds heard through a stethoscope may be signs of pneumonia.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis
To help find the cause of symptoms, your doctor will evaluate your medical history, smoking history, exposure to environmental and occupational substances, and family history of cancer. Your doctor also will perform a physical exam and may recommend a chest X-ray and other tests. If lung cancer is suspected, sputum cytology — the microscopic examination of cells obtained from a deep-cough sample of mucus in the lungs — is a simple test that may be useful in detecting lung cancer. To confirm the presence of lung cancer, your doctor must examine tissue.

How can I prevent lung cancer?
The best way to prevent lung cancer is to quit smoking, or to never start in the first place. You should try and avoid being around people who are smoking; and also avoid pipes, cigars, and marijuana. Use a detector to make sure the radon levels are low.

Treatment of Lung Cancer
Many factors must be taken into account to determine the best treatment for an individual diagnosed with lung cancer. The specific type of cell, the location of the lung tumor, the stage of the disease with possible metastasis (spread to other parts of the body), and the general health of the individual must be considered. Various treatment plans may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and/or surgery.