What Teens Need to Know about Breast Cancer

About Your Breasts

Your breasts are made of fatty tissue and contain many different structures such as lobes, lobules, and ducts, which allow you to breastfeed if you should become pregnant. They also contain lymph vessels and lymph nodes, which trap harmful substances like bacteria. Your breasts go through many changes as your hormones vary and as you get older. It is important to pay attention to these changes because sometimes they may indicate a problem. One of these problems is breast cancer.

Breast Cancer

Like all cells in the body, breast cells grow, divide, age, and die. After cells die, your body makes new ones. Sometimes this process goes wrong. As a result, old cells do not die or the body creates new cells when they are not needed. The extra cells then create a mass, or tumor.

While it is still unknown as to what causes breast cancer, there are certain risk factors that may increase your likelihood of developing breast cancer at some point in your life. These include:

• Age: Your risk increases as you get older.
  
• Personal History of Breast Cancer
  
• Family History: You are more at risk if your mother, sister, or daughter has had breast cancer.
  
• Having Your First Baby After Age 30
  
• Getting Your Period Before Age 12
  
• Reaching Menopause After Age 50
  
• Obesity
  
• Drinking Too Much Alcohol
  

To lower your risk of developing breast cancer exercise regularly, eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet, do not smoke, and limit your alcohol consumption.

Breast Care

Breast Self-Exams

A breast self-exam is something you can do at home to detect unusual lumps in your breasts. It is important to become familiar with your breasts at a young age so that you can recognize any unusual changes in the future. A breast self-exam should be done each month. It may be easiest to perform one 7-10 days after the first day of your period when your breasts are least tender. If you feel something abnormal in your breast, see your doctor to find out what it is.

The illustrations on the next page show you how to conduct a breast self-exam. Although it is important to become familiar with your breasts, a breast self-exam should not take the place of a mammogram once you turn 40 years old.

Clinical Breast Exams

A clinical breast exam is when your doctor examines your breasts. This should be done during your yearly physical. By performing a clinical breast exam each year your doctor can learn what is normal for your breasts. S/he will then be able to recognize any changes that should be checked out.

Mammograms

A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast, which is used to detect suspicious lumps. Sometimes it can find a lump before you can even feel it. Mammograms are a recommended form of detection for women over 40 years of age. This is because breast cancer is more common among older women and because the density of young breast tissue makes it difficult to get a clear x-ray picture. Even though a mammogram may not be meaningful for you now as a teenager, it will be important in the future. You also may know women who should already be receiving mammograms. Share this information with your grandmother, mother, aunt, and sister to make sure they're protecting their health.

Common Breast Cancer Myths

There is a lot of information about breast cancer in the media and on the Internet. Beware: not all that you see and read is correct. Here are a few widespread myths about breast cancer.

Myth #1: Breast cancer only occurs in older women.
Fact: Breast cancer can affect women at any age. While it is rare in teenagers, the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age.

Myth #2: If breast cancer runs in your family, you will eventually develop it as well.
Fact: Having a family history of breast cancer may put you at a higher risk for breast cancer, but it does not guarantee that you will develop it. However, not having a family history does NOT mean that you can't develop it. In fact, more than 75% of women with breast cancer have no family history of the disease.

Myth #3: Women with small breasts have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women with large breasts.
Fact: Breast cancer can develop in breasts of all sizes. However, it may be more difficult to examine large breasts because there is more tissue to hide a lump.

Myth #4: Breast cancer is an automatic death sentence.
Fact: There is over a 90% survival rate after early-stage breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
The key is early detection.

Myth #5: All breast lumps are breast cancer. Fact: More than 80% of breast lumps are benign (noncancerous). Benign lumps include cysts, fibroadenomas (rubbery masses from an excess growth of tissue), and natural changes in your breasts (fibrocystic changes). Sometimes they can indicate a breast infection. Lumps that are malignant (cancerous) can be treated. It is important to tell your doctor if you notice any changes so that s/he can tell you what they are from.

Mythical Causes of Breast Cancer

The following items have been said to cause breast cancer. There is NO evidence that can prove these linkages.

• Deodorant/Antiperspirants
  
• Underwire Bras
  
• Plastic Water Bottles
  
• Birth Control Pills
  

For more information and answers to specific questions contact the Rhode Island Cancer Council at Tel@ricancercouncil.org or call us at (401) 728-4800 or toll free 866-879-4100.

IT IS EASIER TO PREVENT CANCER THAN TO TREAT IT.

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