QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR RE: BREAST CANCER
http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/QuestionstoAsktheDoctorPDFDownloads.html
Ask Pete the Planner Day – Thursday, November 3, 2016
Ask Pete the Planner – Thursday, November 3, 2016; 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Consider it financial speed dating! For 20 minutes, you can discuss any financial topic that comes to mind, one-on-one with Pete such as “Why do I live paycheck-to-paycheck?” or “Which credit card should I tackle first?” All conversations are completely confidential and no securities related advice, such as XYZ Mutual Fund, will be discussed. This opportunity is open to all Butler faculty and staff. Spouses are welcome to attend.
- Date: Thursday, November 3, 2016
- Location: Pharmacy Building, Room 110
- Time: 20-minute appointments, 8:00 am – 11:20 am and 12:20 pm – 4:00 pm
A limited number of slots are available and sign up is required. Please use SignUp Genius to sign up for a single 20-minute appointment.
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0F4CAAAC2FAAF94-askpete3
You may not email Healthy Horizons to sign up for an appointment. Please use the
SignUp Genius link above.
Questions or issues using SignUp Genius? Contact us at healthyhorizons@butler.edu or by calling extension 8143.
Support for Males with Breast Cancer
Support groups for men with breast cancer
In-person support groups for men with breast cancer can be hard to find. However, there are support groups for men with any cancer diagnosis. And, there may be online support groups where men with breast cancer can share common experiences. Some organizations may even be able to help connect men with another male breast cancer survivor for one-on-one telephone or online support. See resources below.
After Breast Cancer Diagnosis
http://www.abcdbreastcancersupport.org/get-support/get-a-mentor/
CancerCare
http://www.cancercare.org/
Cancer Support Community
http://www.cancersupportcommunity.org/
Imerman Angels
http://www.imermanangels.org/
Information provided by:
Symptoms of Male Breast Cancer
One study found that male breast cancer is on the rise, with a 25% increase over the 25 years from 1973 to 1988. But it’s still rare. It’s unclear whether the reported rise means the disease is slowly becoming more common, or whether men better understand the symptoms and report their symptoms, leading to diagnoses that might have been missed in the past.
If you notice any persistent changes to your breasts, you should contact your doctor. Here are some signs to watch for:
- a lump felt in the breast
- nipple pain
- an inverted nipple
- nipple discharge (clear or bloody)
- sores on the nipple and areola (the small ring of color around the center of the nipple)
- enlarged lymph nodes under the arm
It’s important to note that enlargement of both breasts (not just on one side) is usually NOT cancer. The medical term for this is gynecomastia. Sometimes the breasts can become quite large. Non-cancer-related enlargement of the breasts can be caused by medications, heavy alcohol use, weight gain, or marijuana use.
A small study about male breast cancer found that the average time between first symptom and diagnosis was 19 months, or over a year and a half. That’s a very long time! This is probably because people don’t expect breast cancer to happen to men, so there is little to no early detection.
Earlier diagnosis could make a life-saving difference. With more research and more public awareness, men will learn that — just like women — they need to go to their doctor right away if they detect any persistent changes to their breasts.
Breast Cancer Support Resources
What support and where to get it for yourself and your support system:
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Initially, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. A lump may be too small for you to feel or to cause any unusual changes you can notice on your own. Often, an abnormal area turns up on a screening mammogram (X-ray of the breast), which leads to further testing.
In some cases, however, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. A lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer. But sometimes cancers can be tender, soft, and rounded. So it’s important to have anything unusual checked by your doctor.
According to the American Cancer Society, any of the following unusual changes in the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer:
swelling of all or part of the breast
skin irritation or dimpling
breast pain
nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
a nipple discharge other than breast milk
a lump in the underarm area
These changes also can be signs of less serious conditions that are not cancerous, such as an infection or a cyst. It’s important to get any breast changes checked out promptly by a doctor.
Lunch ‘N Learn Today – Healthy Backs and Bodies
Please come join us – bring yourself and your lunch at noon to Pharmacy Building Room 103 to hear from Dr. Marti Ebert (PT, DPT, OCS), from Athletico Physical Therapy. She will present helpful strategies to energize your day using better ways to stretch, sit, and move in your office environment. She will offer you tips and tricks to help with every day movement. There will be drawings for various prizes at the conclusion of the program!
See you there!
Breast Health What You Need to Know
Screening Recommendations, Risk Factors and Breast Density
Do you know the guidelines for getting screened for breast cancer? The American Cancer Society updated its recommendations last year:
Ages 40 to 44: Begin mammograms if you wish; discuss screening with your provider by age 40.
Ages 45 to 54: Get annual mammograms if you have average risk of breast cancer.
Ages 55 and older: Get mammograms once every 2 years or seek annual exams, depending on your risk.
Note: Women with a relative (parent, sibling or child) who had breast cancer may consider starting screening from ages 40 to 49.
Be sure to review your medical history and any other breast cancer risk factors with your health care provider. If you’re in a high-risk group — based on gene mutations, a strong family history or other factors — ask your provider if more screening tests might be useful.
Factors that may RAISE RISK for breast cancer:
✒ Age — the older a woman, or man, the higher the risk.
✒ Age at menopause — after age 55, risk is about 30% higher than having menopause before age 45.
✒ Alcohol use — women consuming 2 to 3 alcoholic drinks per day have a 20% higher risk than nondrinkers.
✒ Blood estrogen — having higher levels after menopause.
✒ Family history — having a first-degree relative who had breast, ovarian or prostate cancer.
✒ Genetic mutations — including BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
Other factors that may slightly increase risk include: higher bone density after menopause; birth control pill use; estrogen-plus-progestin use; being overweight; and being Caucasian.
Factors that may LOWER RISK for breast cancer include: being physically active throughout life; maintaining a healthy weight; breastfeeding; consuming vegetables and fruits; and giving birth before age 35. Generally, the more children a woman has given birth to, the lower her risk tends to be.
Good to know: If possible, choose a testing facility that uses digital mammography with potentially better detection. If you’re going to a new facility, bring your prior mammogram images. Schedule your test for a time when you have minimal breast tenderness, such as a week after your menstrual period. The day of your exam, don’t use deodorants, antiperspirants, powders, lotions, creams or perfumes under your arms or on your breasts.
What about breast density?
When you had your previous mammogram, your report may have noted the density of your breast tissue. Everybody has a different level of density, which is determined by a radiologist who examines your mammogram.
Breast density compares the area of breast and connective tissue to the area of fat — the differences show up on your mammogram.
✒ High breast density means more breast and connective tissue compared to fat.
✒ Low breast density means more fat compared to breast and connective tissue.
High-density tissue can make it harder to detect cancer on a mammogram and might increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
So, if you have dense breasts, are mammograms necessary? Yes. Mammogram screening remains essential because it’s the best way to find breast cancer early, even in women who have dense breast tissue. If you don’t know what your breast density level is, ask your health care provider to check your previous mammogram report and advise you.
http://www.personalbest.com/PersonalBestHealthlines/ViewArticle.aspx?article=5182
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point.
The good news is that many women can survive breast cancer if it’s found and treated early. A mammogram – the screening test for breast cancer – can help find breast cancer early when it’s easier to treat.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to raise awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Make a difference! Spread the word about mammograms and encourage communities, organizations, families, and individuals to get involved.
