If there is one thing I have noticed in and around my social circle is that although we may talk about problems faced by women, it seems like breast ailments are among the least spoken or discussed topics. This is shocking given that, 1 in 8 women in the world are estimated to have breast cancer in their lifetime. This number accounts for approximately 13% of women alive today. And yes, breast cancer is on top of the list of illnesses affecting the breast and it is also one of the leading causes of death in women globally. 

Whilst breast cancer is the most common and known disease of the breast. The changes that occur do not always signal cancer. So you shouldn’t panic if you find or feel something unusual in or on your breasts. Sometimes the various breast changes  (i.e. breast lumps, pain, discharges, irritation, or discomfort), could be an indication of different things. For example, they could be a sign or symbol of changes in hormone levels or simply a reaction to medicines or supplements.

How to differentiate between normal and abnormal breast changes.

The best way to know when something is wrong is by knowing what normal looks and feels like. This means that monitoring your breast during your periods and in between periods is important to not confuse the normal hormone changes to breast abnormalities. On a normal day (without periods, pregnancy, lactation, menopause, or puberty phase), your breast should feel warm like the rest of your torso/trunk. It should also be soft on touch and without pain, unusual lumps, or discharges.

How to routinely examine your breast.

A breast self-exam is usually performed to detect early signs of cancer which in most cases would be a lump, swelling, or some sort of distortions. 

To check for changes in your breast, you need to attentively use “your eyes and hands to determine if there are any changes.” You can ask someone you know and trust to help if you have vision impairment or upper limbs disability.

Step 1: Inspect your breasts using your eyes.

For this, you will need to be standing or sitting shirtless in front of a mirror.

Position yourself (looking forward and again sideways) with your hands placed in the following positions at each time – hands pressed down on your hips, arms overhead, and palms of your hands pressed together.

What are you looking for? 

For this first step, you are checking if,

• The nipples are turned in.
• There are no changes in the breast shape and size.
• There is puckering or dimpling.

Lastly, lift your breasts while standing facing forward to check the symmetry of the ridges. 

Step 2: Examine your breasts using your hands.

To make it easier, you can choose to do this step either by lying down on your bed or by using soap while in the shower.

Step 2.1 

While lying down, put your left hand under your head and use your right-hand fingers to make small circular motions, follow an up and down pattern over the entire breast area, under the arms, and up to the shoulder bone firmly. Repeat using your left-hand fingers on your right breast.

Step 2.2

While in the shower, raise your left arm over your head and use soap on your right-hand fingers and repeat the procedure as described in step 2.1 for the left breast. And also do the same for the right breast by swapping heads.

What are you looking for?

The main purpose of self-examining your breasts with your hands is to look for lumps. A lump may feel like a rock in your breast, usually firm and rigid but sometimes can be soft (especially if it is a cyst). 

EndNote.

It is advisable to do a breast self-exam, at least once a month. This helps for the early detection of lumps which may potentially develop into cancerous tumors if not treated early. If you find unusual changes in your breast, consult with your doctor for advice and more information on what to do next. 

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I was 18 when I got diagnosed with cancer and had just started attending university. Being a young black woman who was in transition from being a teenager and going from high school to university. I was going through a lot of personal change. 

I grew up in rural areas where cancer was a distant thing and marked as only contracted by white old people. So when it was said to me, I did not understand. I did not know its predicaments because I did not know much about it. And it seemed and felt like a death sentence.

In this article, I will take you through the basics of cancer that are common in black women and women of color.

What is cancer?

The term cancer refers to a group of abnormal cell growth in one’s body. These abnormal growths can develop anywhere in the body’s tissues, organs, or an entire system. If the abnormal cell growth is not detected early, they can invade other parts of the body and this process is called metastasis.

The world health organization has stated that “cancer is the second leading cause of death globally” (2018) and most of these deaths occur in the low-and-middle-income countries. To me, this makes a lot of sense. Given that in these countries, resources are scarce for diagnosis, and the treatments are also costly.

Besides that, many low-income countries are not knowledgeable or aware of this kind of disease. It was even difficult for me, after learning about my diagnosis, to explain it to my family back in the village because they did not understand.

Causes

One of the questions people ask themselves after diagnosis is ”but how”.

The causes of cancer can range from hereditary to lifestyle behaviors and biological carcinogens such as infections (especially sexually transmitted HPV and hepatitis infection).

With hereditary, it is important to ask and know if someone in your family has had cancer so that you can go for screening as soon as possible. Heredity is the process that happens over generations to generations when the parents pass on their genetic information and traits to their offspring. The genes carrying the abnormalities may be passed to the offspring and that’s how, as the offspring develops or grow, may start showing signs or symptoms.

Lifestyle risk factors for cancer may include:

Low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of exercise, high body mass index, tobacco, and alcohol use. Sometimes it could be an injury or other environmental factors such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation.

Signs and symptoms

It is not easy to see the signs or to experience the symptoms of cancer when it is at an early stage. And that’s why it is crucial to be aware of your body and the developments it undergoes over time.

Since there are many different types of cancers, the signs and symptoms will also vary.

Types (predominantly in black women)

Breast cancer, Cervix cancer, Colorectal Cancer, and Lung cancer are some of the types of cancers that are common in black women. Other cancers that are also common but difficult to detect include Sarcomas, Leukemia, Melanoma, and Ovarian Cancer.

Breast cancer is one of the cancers with a high mortality rate in both black (with 71% survival rate) and white (with 87% survival rate) women of varying ages. With breast cancer, self-examination is important. Because symptoms include a lump, changes in shape and/or texture of the breast (usually one side). Pain and discomfort with no apparent reason, and sometimes bloody discharge from the nipples. Breast cancer can be detected easily  through routine self-examination.

It is advisable to consult a doctor or go for a mammogram/screening if you experience the above signs and symptoms.

For Cervical cancer, it may take longer to recognize that there is a problem due to the absence of symptoms. However, if you experience irregular bleeding and pain around your pelvis. Or during sexual intercourse, you might need to follow up with your doctor. Sometimes these may be accompanied by nausea, fatigue, and unintentional weight loss.

Screening tests that are effective for the detection of cervical cancer include a PAP smear test and pelvis examination. This can be done routinely at least every three years from the age of 21 or as recommended by doctors. After the age of 30, it is also recommended that you do a Pap smear test conjunctively with the HPV test.

Colorectal cancer. A colon is also known as the large intestines and it is the final part of the digestive tract. The rectum begins at the end of the colon and ends at the anus.

Common signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer include blood in the stool or rectal bleeding. Persistent diarrhea or constipation, persistent pain, cramps, gas, or discomfort in the abdomen. You can also experience unexplainable and unintended weight loss, weakness, and fatigue.

It is common to experience no symptoms during the early stages of colorectal cancer. Which is why it is important to consult your doctor immediately if you see changes in bowel movements or any other of the above mentioned symptoms.

Screening methods for colorectal cancer include

A barium enema (every 5-10 years), a colonoscopy (every 10 years), a yearly fecal occult blood test, and sigmoidoscopy (annually) as detailed by Beatrice Motamedi on the article titled Cancers and black women.

One of the most common and preventable cancers among black women is lung cancer. Lung cancer often occurs in people who smoke. This may include second-hand smoke and exposure to certain chemicals. 

You may experience a persistent cough (often with blood), weight loss, wheezing, chest pains, hoarseness, etc. The signs and symptoms of lung cancer may resemble those of TB. So it is important to consult a doctor to find out if you are experiencing the symptoms, especially if you are a smoker.

Endnote:

Treatments for cancers are available and are also effective. However, if it is preventable. It is better to minimize the risks and take initiative in creating robust wellbeing for you and others. Cancer, like most illnesses, is not discriminative and is deadly if not treated or managed.

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