Today, on October 20, events are taking place in our country on the occasion of the All-Ukrainian Day of Fighting Breast Cancer, UNN reports.
According to global statistics, breast cancer ranks first in the structure of cancer morbidity in women (23%), and first in the structure of mortality (20.5%).
More than 15 million women worldwide are affected by breast cancer. Six million women die from it every year.
Breast cancer can also be diagnosed in men, but the number of such cases is quite small.
In Ukraine, about 15 thousand new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women every year. About five thousand women die every year.
Already at the age of 18-24, breast cancer ranks third in the structure of morbidity among Ukrainian women (10.8%), and from 30 to 74 years, it has become a leader (27.6-20.6%). In the structure of cancer mortality in the female population, breast cancer prevails in the age groups 30-54, 55-74, and 75+ years, accounting for 24.5%, 20.6%, and 18.5%, respectively.
In Ukraine, one in four women is diagnosed with breast cancer at the III-IV stage, when the effectiveness of treatment is significantly reduced.
According to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, breast cancer is curable if it is detected at stage I - in 95% of women, at stage II - in 80%, and at stage III - in 50% of women.
Most often, the first manifestation of breast cancer is a painless "ball" (lump) or a lump in the breast. Other symptoms to look out for include:
- changes in the size, shape and appearance of the breast;
- retraction, redness, appearance of any changes in the skin of the breast;
- changes in the shape and appearance of the nipple or the skin around the nipple (areola);
- discharge from the nipple (purulent, bloody, unpleasant odor);
- swollen and/or painful axillary or supraclavicular lymph nodes.
To prevent breast cancer, it is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle (quit smoking, alcohol, lead an active lifestyle and maintain optimal body weight), as well as undergo timely medical examinations. All women aged 20 to 40 should do a breast self-examination every month and undergo an ultrasound diagnosis every 1-2 years, while women over 40 should visit a mammologist at least once every 1-2 years and undergo mammography on his or her recommendation.