Worried about your Breasts?

By Ayesha Ghosh

Who is this module for?

Breast changes are changes in how your breast or nipple looks or feels.

This module is for you if you are worried about changes in your breast.

What are normal breast changes

It is normal to have breast changes during pregnancy, at certain times of the menstrual cycle (period) or if you have fibrocystic disease.

To find out more about normal lumps and fibrocystic breast changes, please click

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8593325

Why check for breast cancer?

• Finding breast cancer early can save your life! And give you more time with your family.

• If you do not show breast changes to a doctor, then the infection or cancer can grow and it will be more difficult to treat

How serious is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the #1 cause of cancer death in Hispanic women

Another way to say this is:

Out of all the deaths due to cancer,

breast cancer is the most common cancer

death in Hispanic women

How common is breast cancer?

1 from every 8 women get breast cancer

At what age do women get breast cancer?

• Breast cancer is can be seen more in women greater than 50 years

• But women in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s have also found breast cancer

What You can do

Know what is normal for your breast and what is not normal

When you find changes, SEE A DOCTOR

Know more about your breasts

To know more about how to check your breasts for changes, click on the link below.

When the link opens, go to the bottom of that page and click either choice for a video:

• View the online BSA tool - English version • View the online BSA tool - Spanish version

LINK: http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Breastselfawareness.html

Question:

Why should I get breast changes checked?

It is important to catch breast infections and breast cancer early so that we can get treatment and heal fast

Healthy breasts lead to my general well-being

I will worry less about these changes

All of the above

Answer:

I get breast changes checked because…

It is important to catch breast infections and breast cancer early so that we can get treatment and heal fast

Healthy breasts are important to for my general health

I will worry less about these changes

All of the above

Daniela’s story…

“I felt pain in my breasts and I was worried that it is cancer. I was scared to see a doctor. But then I saw my kids and I thought what would happen to them if I do not see a doctor? What if my pain is worse? Who will take care of my kids if I fell sick? …So I went to the free Avon clinic and asked to see a doctor. The doctor was very nice and did some tests and told me I had a breast infection. He gave me medicines and soon the pain went away. Now I do not worry and I feel healthy. My kids are happy.”

What does the normal breast look like

What do not normal breast changes look like

BREAST CHANGES YOU SHOULD BE

AWARE OF

Lump or hard knot

What is a Lump? A lump is a differently shaped piece that is different from

the rest of the breast. It can be hard or soft. It can feel like a green pea

• Lumps come in many shapes and sizes

• Most lumps are NOT cancer

Lumps in the breast

Normal : If you notice a lump in one breast, check your other breast. If both breasts feel the same, it may not be cancer. Normal breasts can often feel lumpy.

Not Normal: If a lump feels harder or different from the

rest of lumps in the breast (like a green pea), Please see a doctor as soon as possible!

What if you find a lump…

• Do NOT fear!

• Most lumps are not breast cancer, but something less serious.

• Often lumps are related to your menstrual period and will go away by the end of your cycle.

• BUT, it is best to see a doctor

Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening

Swelling is an increase in the size of your breast.

Normal: if both your breasts have slightly increased during breastfeeding and/or menstruation

Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening

See a Doctor:

If one or both of your breasts have largely increased

If your breasts feel warmer than usual

If your breasts feel look more red than usual

Change in the size or shape of the breast

Normal: It is normal for both breasts to be larger during breast feeding or during your period

See a Doctor: If breasts are larger when you are not

breastfeeding or on your period.

If the increase in size is in one breast much more than the other.

Change in the size or shape of the breast

Normal: It is normal for both breasts to be larger during breast feeding/during menstruation

See a Doctor: If breasts are larger when you are not

breastfeeding or menstruating

If the increase in size is in one breast much more than the other.

Orange peel skin

See a doctor if you notice:

A pulling in of the skin on your breast or nipple

the skin on your breast feels and looks like orange skin

Liquid from the nipple

Normal: Liquid from the breast in late pregnancy or the post pregnancy.

See a Doctor:• If liquid from nipple is red in color = like blood

• If liquid from nipple is green in color = like grass

• If liquid from nipple clear and has no color = like water

Liquid from the nipple

Normal: When liquid is coming out from the nipple when the nipple is squeezed

See a Doctor: If liquid comes out without a squeeze of the nipple

If liquid comes out in only one breast

If liquid comes out and is red, green or clear (not milky) in color

What to do if you have liquid from the nipple

• Do NOT fear!

• Liquid from the nipple is not always cancer, it can mean there is an infection in the breast

• It is best see a doctor

Breast pain

Go see your doctor:

If you breast hurts

It may feel like someone hit you on your breast

Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple

What is a rash?

When skin turns like this

See a Doctor:

If you scratch your breasts a lot

If the skin on your breast is dry and scaly

If there is a rash on your breast

What should Maria do?

Maria is a 35 year old woman with 2 kids. She sees that one of her breasts is red and much larger than the other breast. It was not like this before. She also feels pain in her breast. Maria is not breast feeding. What should Maria do?

Nothing, she is too young to have breast cancerAsk her friend what to doSee a doctor because it could be cancer or an

infection

Answer

Nothing, she is too young to have breast cancer

Ask her friend what to do

See a doctor because it could be cancer or an infection

See a doctor for these breast changes…

Nipple changes Redness

Liquid from nipple Lumps

Skin Changes Orange peel skin

What can I do if I notice not normal changes?

GO SEE A DOCTOR:

Where do I go if I don’t have health insurance?

• Go to Dora at the front Desk

• Ask her your question

• If you still have questions, then ask Dora for the ‘health insurance module’

For FREE Screening

GO TO: Avon Breast Imaging Center

Location: Irving Cancer Research Center Building, 1130 Saint Nicholas Avenue at West 166th St

Phone number: 212 851 4516

How to go to Avon centerYou can walk there in 13 minutes!

Start out going South on Fort Washington Avenue towards West 177th St

Turn left onto W 168th St  

Turn right onto St Nicholas Ave

  Arrive at 1130 SAINT NICHOLAS AVE

Other Free screenings near by

• Ralph Lauren breast center

CALL Today: 212 987 1777

• AIM clinic or “21 Audubon”

Location: 21 Audubon (Audubon & 166 st.)

CALL Today: 212 342 3232

For more information

You can click:

– Susan G. Komen for the Cure www.komen.org

– American Cancer Foundationhttp://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/index

– Avon Foundationhttp://www/avonfoundation.org

Still more Information

For brochures, resources or for any other questions:

TALK TO DORA at the FRONT DESK

DORA will be here

THANK YOU!