International Day to fight Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer with more than 2.2 million cases in 2020 in the world andis the main cause of mortality in women, since around 685,000 died as a result of this diseaseaccording to data from the World Health Organization.In Spain, nearly 25,000 new cases were diagnosed. 

It is estimated that 1 in 8 women will have breast cancer during their lifetime.

The WHO's objective is to reduce mortality from this disease by 2.5% annually between 2020-2040, which would prevent 2.5 million deaths worldwide, which means that by 2030, 25% of deaths from breast cancer among women under 70 years of age would be avoided, and by 2040 it would be 40%.

To achieve this goal, health promotion for early detection, timely diagnosis and comprehensive management of breast cancer is essential.

Although the highest numbers are suffered by the female population, we know that it also affects men, although in a much smaller number between 0.5% and 1% of cases of this type of cancer.

Generally, the symptoms of breast cancer that we can observe are the following:  

• A nodule or thickening in the breast.
• The alteration in the size, shape or appearance of a breast.
• The appearance of dimpling, redness, cracks or other alterations in the skin.
• The change in appearance of the nipple or the alteration in the surrounding skin (areola).
• Abnormal discharge from the nipple.

The symptoms are warning signs and do not have to appear all, nor at the same time. In 90% of the cases in which breast nodules appear, they are benign, that is, they are non-cancerous breast masses, but it is important to go to a specialist doctor without delaying more than 1 or 2 months even if you do not feel any associated pain.

What can we do to prevent it? There are factors that we cannot control in the development of this type of disease but there are three fundamental things that we can all do, men and women:

Explore yourselfregularly at least once a month, and especially make women of all ages aware of the importance of this examination and of contacting medical services if they observe the appearance of any symptoms.

Perform annual medical check-ups with the gynecologist, and in the case of men, encourage the women around them to do them.

Maintain healthy lifestyle habitswith a healthy and balanced diet, physical exercise and avoiding alcohol and tobacco consumption.

At Fraternidad-Muprespa we join the global initiative that celebrates the October 19 International Day to fight Breast Cancer, to continue remembering the importance of early detection, since prevention and research is the key to successful treatment, and that is why today we share the video of the AECC Campaign #SacaChecho for the most vulnerable.

#InternationalBreastCancerDay.