What to Know About Breast Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer affecting women in the United States. This guide will explain breast cancer types and reveal what steps you can take for prevention and treatment.

What Is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer occurs when genetic changes in breast cells cause them to develop abnormally and replicate. Breast cancer cells can occur in women with a history of breast cancer in their families.

Types of Breast Cancer

The many types of breast cancer include the following.

Triple-negative breast cancer – This is a rare form of breast cancer affecting African-American women who are under age 40 or who have a BRCA1 gene mutation.

Ductal carcinoma in situ – Beginning in duct cells, this type represents the most common of breast cancers.

Paget’s disease – This rare breast cancer usually only affects the darker skin located around the nipple.

Inflammatory breast cancer – Affecting the cells in lymph vessels, inflammatory breast cancer causes swelling, redness, and pain in the breast.

What You Can Do

Women can lower certain risk factors for developing breast cancer by:

• Ensuring they get at least 90 minutes of moderate exercise per week
• Limiting use of alcohol to one drink per day
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Limiting or avoiding exposure to estrogen by limiting hormone therapy and choosing to breastfeed
• Conducting regular self-examinations of their breasts

All of these can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Conducting Self-Examinations

Regular self-examination of the breasts includes visual observation for signs of breast cancer:

• Changes in breast size or shape
• Puckering or dimpling of breast skin
• Nipple discharge or turning inward
• Pain
• Swollen, red, or scaly skin in the nipple area

Manual examination involves raising one arm and using the fingers in a circular pattern and at varying levels of compression to feel for breast lumps, pain, and dense breast and underarm skin. Self-examination can mean early detection of cancer and an increased survival rate.

How CallonDoc Is Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness

CallonDoc, a leading provider in women’s health and wellness products and services, connects patients to board-certified physicians from the comfort of their homes.CallonDoc patients can connect with a medical provider, receive a diagnosis and pick up their prescriptions at any US pharmacy within 1-2 hours.

We’ve been a proud partner with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) since October of 2021. We chose this partnership because of the free and innovative mammography, breast health education, patient support, and navigation programs they provide to women facing breast cancer.

CallonDoc raised over $5,000 for breast cancer awareness month in October 2021 and is fundraising for women again in 2022. In addition, CallonDoc has donated several support services to NBCF-sponsored women with breast cancer including: image diagnostics (mammograms), women's health and mental health visits.

Donate here to help support women now and CallonDoc will match your contribution: https://fundraise.nbcf.org/give/428392/#!/donation/checkout

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