Article by Rebecca Bugeja
As October comes around, the colour pink dominates the media as a means of making people aware of a disfiguring disease that happens to affect the chest: breast cancer. However, there is much more than breast cancer which can affect the breasts themselves. In this article, we will look at two breast diseases: benign breast disease and fibroadenomas.
Benign, in this context, means that the condition does not increase the likelihood of getting cancer. One type of breast disease which falls under this category and affects younger women is cystic disease. These cysts start off as fluid that builds up within the glands of the breast. These cysts are usually harmless however they can get bigger and/or painful as your period approaches. As they get larger, it is more likely to find them through ultrasound or self-examination. Typically, these cysts are round, have well-defined borders and can move relative to the surrounding tissue (Ferrara A., 2011; Rinaldi P., et al, 2010).
Fibroadenomas are one of the most common benign growths in women of childbearing age. These tumours are firm, rubbery, and have clear, distinct borders. Like cystic disease, fibroadenomas also move amongst the breast tissue. In general, women are more likely to present with one fibroadenoma. However, there are instances of women having several fibroadenomas, which can be even found in both breasts (Ferrara A., 2011).
Before you start overthinking and heading onto the internet to diagnose yourself, just stop and remember these few tips. The best thing you can do is to familiarise yourself with what is normal so that detecting what is abnormal is easier in the long run. For this, you should do self-examinations. Should anything be strange, take note of your symptoms and the specifics of your symptoms e.g. details about any lumps, noticeable changes to these lumps and the any other symptoms you have e.g. pain (Boraas M, Gupta S., 2020).
The trick for self-examination is a good technique:
- Before you feel your breast, make sure to take a good look at them.
- Here, you place your hands on your hips with your shoulders straight and then, look at them again when your arms are raised above your head. In both these times, take note of their general size, shape, colour, and symmetry. Features that you may find in benign breast disease are redness, soreness, rashes and swelling.
- Before you start feeling your breasts, rest onto 2 pillows so that the breasts themselves rest against the chest wall.
- Next, you should feel the breast using the flat of the hand rather than poking around with the tips of your fingers. You should work your way around the breast with the hand of the opposite side of the body e.g. examine the right breast with your left hand, in a logical manner e.g. starting from the nipple and working your way out in a circular fashion.
- Now, make sure to repeat the same steps with the other breast for two reasons: to examine the other breast and to compare sides. If you find anything in these self-exams, jot them down and seek medical advice (Boraas M, Gupta S., 2020; Thomas J., et al, 2014).
Disclaimer: Opinions and thoughts expressed within this article do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Malta. Opinions and facts expressed on these conditions should not be used to self-diagnose. If you are experiencing symptoms, please consult with your doctor.