Two years. Exactly two years have passed since the start of the pandemic in Italy. Why do we talk about it in the Health Breast newsletter? Because this time weighs on all cancer patients.
Just a few days ago the scientific magazine Jama Network Open published the numbers of a US center, the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California at San Diego: doctors report a sharp decline in early diagnoses (of stage I cancers) in 2020 compared to 2019: from 64% passed to 51%. And also reporting a simultaneous increase in advanced (metastatic) tumors: from 1.9% to 6.2%. The same worrying trend, the authors say, is recorded in the first months of 2021 and the most recent data are expected. It seems that the situation in Italy is no different.
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Identifying a tumor when it is small enough to be impalpable and when symptoms have not yet manifested means increasing the chances of recovery, which is why access to screening is essential and remains the most effective strategy for early diagnosis. But in emergency situations, such as the one we have experienced, it is more important than ever that women know how to recognize the warning signs of breast cancer as soon as they arise.
There is not only the “classic” lump: the symptoms of breast cancer can be different. Recalling that self-examination does not replace the visit to the breast specialist nor the screening mammography or breast ultrasound, we propose a test (based on the example of the MedScape Quiz, an information and updating site dedicated to doctors) with which to test the knowledge of the signs to watch out for.
1 – Breast lump is the most common symptom of breast cancer, present in most symptomatic cases, but can also be common to other conditions. What features should be of concern?
to. It is painful to touch
b. Sizes vary according to the menstrual cycle
c. It appears hard and with an uneven surface
d. It appears mobile
Find out the answer
2 – Which of the following symptoms is the most frequent after the lump?
to. Changes in the nipple
b. Changes in the skin
c. Swollen lymph node in the armpit
d. Breast pain
Find out the answer
3 – How many women diagnosed with breast cancer have symptoms other than the lump?
to. 1 his 6
b. 1 his 2
c. 1 of 12
d. 1 with 20
Find out the answer
4 – There is a rare type of breast cancer called inflammatory. Which symptom is most associated with?
to. Swelling of the axillary lymph nodes
b. Rapidly expanding erythema without a lump
c. Bruised skin color
d. Formation of ulcerations and nipple retraction
Find out the answer