October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also known as “Pink October”, named after the Pink Ribbon, a symbol of breast cancer awareness activities.
At the end of 2020, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released the latest global cancer data for 2020: 2.26 million new cases of breast cancer worldwide in 2020, surpassing lung cancer (2.2 million cases) for the first time to become the number one cancer worldwide.
All women should pay attention to early prevention.
How to keep away from breast cancer? We can do the following.
- Do not smoke
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Eat a healthy diet
- Limit or avoid alcohol consumption
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid exposure to radiation
- Breastfeeding
We would like to add “Maintain a healthy mindset” to above list especially for breast cancer.
In addition, early detection is the best way to improve breast cancer treatment outcomes and increase survival rates. There are two strategies for early diagnosis of breast cancer.
- Knowing what the early symptoms are and getting early detection and diagnosis.
Screening through mammography and clinical breast exams, clinical exams can identify cancer before any symptoms appear.
Every woman should be aware of the early symptoms, and by detecting cancer early, it can be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
- It is also important to self-examine. Regular self-examinations to familiarize yourself with your breasts so that you can detect changes.
Self-examination at home 4 steps
Self-examination is also a good way to find out if there are any signs of breast cancer. How should I check myself at home? First of all, it is recommended that women should do a breast self-examination only after about 8-10 days of menstruation, and for women who have stopped menstruating, it is recommended to choose a fixed day of the month. Then, follow these 4 steps.
1 Take a look
Face a mirror in a well-lit room and look closely at both sides of your breasts to see if they are symmetrical in size, if there are any abnormal protrusions, and if the skin and nipples are sunken or peeling like eczema.
2 Circling
Raise your left hand and lift it up to the back of your head, then check your left breast with your right hand, using your fingers to gently press the breast, starting from the nipple in a circular motion and gradually moving outward in the direction of the clock (about three to four circles) to check all the breasts, and then check the right breast in the same way.
3 Touch
Lie down flat, put a pillow under your right shoulder, bend your right hand and place it under your head, repeat step 3 in the same way to check both breasts to see if there are lumps or blocks in the breast from the test.
4 Twist
In addition to the breast, it is also important to check for swollen lymph in the armpit. Use your thumb and forefinger to squeeze the nipple and pay attention to see if there is any abnormal discharge coming out.
Early prevention, early detection, early treatment
Prevention or early detection of breast cancer is a good time for treatment and increases the chance of cure. International studies show that 38% of breast cancer patients can reduce the threat of breast cancer by establishing a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, in addition to staying away from cancer-causing factors such as smoking and alcohol, it is important to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy body. If you find any abnormalities in your breasts, it is important to seek immediate medical attention and not to avoid treatment.
Since 2008, we at the Art Saves Lives Foundation have been dedicated to helping breast cancer patients recover through art therapy programs, promoting active and healthy lifestyles, and funding related research and educational institutions.
Currently, our online Art for Wellness program explores two main orientations in the field of art therapy and wellness: (1) art creation as therapy, a creative process that eases emotional conflict and contributes to self-awareness and self-growth; and (2) art applied to psychotherapy, which is extremely helpful in maintaining a balanced and consistent relationship between one’s inner and outer worlds.
We always hope that through our own efforts, together with more social forces, we can make more efforts to combat breast cancer and care for women’s health.