Breast Cancer Awareness month takes place every October and is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, with 9 people losing their lives to the disease every day. October is considered to be Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM). The aim of BCAM is to shine a light on the horrible impact of breast cancer which affects thousands of Australians each day.
What is breast cancer?
Cancer develops when the body’s cells multiply in an uncontrolled way. Breast cancer develops in the ducts or lobules of the breast.
There are many different types of breast cancers. The type of breast cancer is determined by the specific cells in the breast that are affected. Most breast cancers are carcinomas, which are tumours that start in the epithelial lining of the organs and tissues throughout the body.
What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
A risk factor is anything that increases the probability of getting a disease. Having one or more risk factors does not mean that a woman will definitely develop breast cancer, but it might increase her chances of developing breast cancer. Some risk factors of developing breast cancer are-
- Being female (men rarely get breast cancer and it accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancer)
- Having a strong family history of breast cancer.
- Inheriting a faulty (mutated) gene
- Having previously been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Other risk factors could include-
- Starting menstruation at a relatively early age (before 12 years)
- Starting menopause at a relatively late age (after 55 years)
- Having the first child after 30 years of age
- Not breastfeeding
- Gaining a lot of weight in adulthood, especially after menopause
- Drinking alcohol (more than 2 standard drinks daily)
What is the treatment for breast cancer?
The aim of breast cancer treatment is-
- To remove the breast cancer
- Destroy any cancer cells that remain in and around the breast area
- Destroy any cancer cells that may have spread (metastasis) outside the breast.
Breast cancer treatment can involve surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapies.
How to support someone with breast cancer?
If a family member or friend you know has breast cancer, maybe these tips will be helpful for you to understand how to support them during this tough time in their lives.
- Be available to listen. Let your friend know that you’re available to come over when needed.
- Just be yourself. You don’t need to worry about not knowing what to say.
- Prepare home-cooked meals, soups, biscuits and cakes that can be frozen and used when needed.
- Help with housework, gardening or looking after pets. If your loved one has had surgery, they will find it difficult to hang out washing, vacuum or iron for several weeks after surgery.
- Offer to drive them to medical treatments or appointments.
- If you’re a colleague, treat them normally but let them know you understand that they may be working in challenging circumstances.
- Don’t be afraid to ask how they are feeling and give them the opportunity to talk if they want to.
- Don’t tell them about the latest cure or treatment you’ve heard about.
- Don’t tell them how they should be changing their lifestyle or diet.
- Don’t tell them horror stories about other people with cancer.
- Most importantly- Don’t give up on them!
Make sure you take care of yourself too. If your mental health and physical health aren’t okay, you will not be able to care for your loved one. Make sure you make time for the things you love and things that help you relax. Join support groups to talk about your experience. Meeting and connecting with other caregivers can be an important source of information and support. It is also very important to remember that you can’t do it all and that it is absolutely okay to ask for help!!!
Please do not hesitate to contact others and talk to them for the sake of your mental health. There are many resources available to you as the caregiver to take care of yourself.
Breast Cancer Network Australia- 1800 500 258
Lifeline- 131 114
Beyond Blue- 1300 224 636
