Topless Bold Lady on World Cleavage Day!

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World cleavage day!

I don’t know why it’s celebrated and who celebrates it. But all I know: it’s all about breast and hence this post is going to be on breast, BREAST CANCER in specific. Now that I have your attention, before I share the link to the topless lady's picture, I'll talk a little about few myths that commonly prevail about breast cancer and then move on to the current breast cancer screening recommendations.

1	Myth: Men can’t get breast cancer	Truth: Though statistically low in number, men can develop breast cancer. At least 500 men die every year from breast cancer. So breast self examination is a must for men as well.
2	Myth: All breast lumps are cancerous.	Truth: There are variety of conditions that present with a lump in the breast. Although 80% of the breast lumps can be benign it needs a clinical examination and work up to exclude cancer.
3	Myth: Nobody in my family has breast cancer so I can’t get it either.	Truth: Majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have an identifialble risk factors. But if a first-degree relative (a parent, sibling, or child) have had breast cancer, the risk is doubled compared to the general public.
4	Myth: Tight bra/ antiperspirants / coffee / tea can cause breast cancer.	Truth: There is almost nil laboratory or population-based evidence to support this rumor.
5	Myth: Every women has a 1 in 8 chance of getting breast cancer in her life time	Truth: Risk increases by age gradually and the risk of 1 in 8 is reached by 85 yrs.
6	Myth: Smaller the breast lesser the chance of developing breast cancer.	Truth: Small or big the chances of developing breast cancer remain the same. Detection is easier in smaller breasts when compared to big ones.
7	Myth: No breast lump means, no breast cancer.	Truth: Sometimes, breast cancer can be too little to be detected by even untrained hands. That where the professional screening and mammogram comes into play.
8	Myth: A lump in the underarm is not a danger sign.	Truth: Breast cancers as it advances can present as lump in the underarm. And sometimes it can be the only presenting symptom.
9	Myth: After surgical removal of breast, there is no question of developing breast cancer.	Truth: There is still a 10% risk of developing breast cancer in high risk women who got their breast removed surgically.
10	Myth: Just looking into mother’s family history will be sufficient to know the risk.	Truth: Father’s family history is equally important. If it is going to be a detailed study, you even have to consider males in the family who developed prostate and colon cancers.
11	Myth: You can’t modify the risk of developing breast cancer. All you can do is self examination and detect early.	Truth: There are a lot of things that can be done especially if a high risk candidate. Weight reduction Regular exercise Incorporating  healthy diet with an emphasis on plant sources Quitting alcohol Quitting smoking Medical and Surgical prophylaxis (only in high risk)
12	Myth: Mammogram is dangerous and should be the last thing to be done.	Truth: Although it comes with a tiny risk of radiation, its well below the permissible limits. With its ability to detect early disease, the benefits over-weigh the risk.
13	Myth: Normal mammogram means no disease.	Truth: Mammogram if done alone misses 10-20 % of disease. Clinical examination, mammogram and other studies in combination increases the accuracy.
14	Myth: Breast cancer can spreads from one person to another	Truth: Apart from inheriting the risk, beast cancer has never been reported to spread from one person to another horizontally.
15	Myth: Removal of the breast and permanent disfigurement is always the end result of breast cancer treatment.	Truth: Complete breast removal is just one mode of treatment. There are more techniques and treatment options that can be employed depending on the need. Breast conservative surgery and reconstructive surgeries minimizes the disfigurement.

Guidelines for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer

Age 40+:

• An annual mammogram
• Annual clinical breast examination (CBE) by a doctor or nurse (CBE should be done close to the time of the mammogram)
• Monthly breast self-examination

Age 20-39:

• Clinical breast examination by a doctor or nurse every three years
• Monthly breast self-examination

High Risk: It's beyond the scope of this blog post to discus this scenario. So, if there is a history of breast cancer in the family, discuss screening guidelines and scheduling with the health care provider.

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If you wish to read more on the topic please visit: American Cancer Society website.
*image source : www.maurerfoundation.org

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Now coming to the picture of topless lady; because of the internet censorship and moral issues, I don't think it will be nice to have it displayed on my blog. So here's the link. Click at your own risk and if it's legal to view such content in your country.