First warning breast lumps: How can symptoms for breast cancer be identified?

Breast cancer or mast carcinoma is the most frequent type of cancer for women. Almost 60,000 breast cancers are reported annually in Germany. At a higher age, after the menopause, the risk is increasing significantly. An easy method to discover breast cancer in an early stage is self examination of the breast.

The best time period to palpate the breasts is in the first days of menstruation, women in menopause can choose a fixed day in the month. Over the years, most women will notice a lump in their breast. Often, these lumps are firm and 1-2 cm long. However, that doesn’t have to be a symptom for breast cancer. Possible causes could be cysts (filled blisters in the mammary gland lobules), fibroadenoma (benign tumors) or pseudoknots (firm breast tissue, scars). Benign tumors can also be a symptom of a hormone-related mastopathy, this “restructuring process” of the mammary gland affects women between 30 and 50 years. On condition that the breasts are regularly palpated, changes can be recognized easily; in this case a doctor should be consulted.

The presented teaching aid of a female breast made of tissue-like material includes a palpable lump as well as a mastopathy. The supplied educational card shows the position of the lumps as well as the statistical distribution of possible lumps in the breast. More than half of all breast cancers are located in the outer upper quadrants. In order to self examine the breast move your arms up and down. Observe if both sides behave in the same way or if changes in the skin, like drawing in a part of the skin, orange skin, inflammations or bulges can be discovered. Check if the nipples are excreting milky, bloody or dark liquid when pinching them.

It is recommended to put some cream or oil on the breasts before palpating them. For the right breast use the left hand and the other way round. Palpate the whole breast region in flat, circling motions with three fingertips. Lay on the back and palpate the breast in vertical, narrow movements. The lymphatic glands in the armpits are part of the risk area. This place can be reached best in the lateral position, watch especially for swellings. Examine also the regions above and below the collarbone in horizontal movements.
The health insurances also offer one cancer screening test annually from the age of 20. Women with an increased risk should frequently and very carefully examine their breasts, these groups include:

- familial predisposition
- genetic disposition (mutation in the genes BRCA-1 and BRCA-2)
- childless or women which became pregnant late for the first time
- women, who have never breastfeeded
- beginning of the first menstruation at an early age or late menopause
- women at the age of 60+

Moreover, many more factors like environmental conditions, psychological strain etc. can play a decisive role, but how strong their influence is, is hard to determine.

More information and models regarding breast cancer are always available on www.erler-zimmer.de.

Erler-Zimmer GmbH & Co. KG; founded in 1949, run as a third generation, family owned enterprise. CEO Walter and Ute Probst. The company is specialized in anatomy, medical simulators and charts and has its own production site in Germany as well as highly reputed partners in Europe, USA and Asia.

PR contact:
Noreen Huber, Tel. +49 7841/6003-17

Erler-Zimmer GmbH&Co.KG
Hauptstraße 27
77886 Lauf
Tel.:+49 7841/60030
Fax: +49 7841/600320
www.erler-zimmer.de

This release was published on openPR.