Breast cancer is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. In 2005 502,000 people died worldwide as a result of this cancer. Worldwide, more people are diagnosed with breast cancer than any other cancer except for lung cancer and it is the fifth most common cancer overall. While these statistics are alarming, there are ways to keep yourself as safe as possible from this terrible disease.

A lump in the breast is often the first sign of this disease. The lump generally feels different from the surrounding breast tissue. You should immediately see your physician if you discover a lump. Your physician will follow up with appropriate tests and examinations, such as a mammogram, to determine the nature of the lump.

Other symptoms might include changes in the size or shape of the breast, a dimpling of the skin on the breast, an inverted nipple, or nipple discharge. Breast pain should also be checked by a doctor because even though it doesn't usually mean breast cancer, it might be symptomatic of another problem.

Discovering these symptoms should not be cause for immediate alarm. Most of the time, the cause of the symptoms is not cancer. But the risk of cancer is very real, the consequences of cancer are severe, and the disease is progressive, so one should never delay scheduling an appointment with their health care professional.

Should you be diagnosed with breast cancer, what is the next step? What is the sequence of events? Many treatment options are available and your physician will review them with you. Some women are reluctant to seek medical treatment for symptoms because they fear a possible mastectomy. However, a mastectomy is not necessarily the treatment of choice, so do not let this stand in your way of obtaining medical care.

Breast cancer is a scary subject, but it is a treatable disease. The odds of finding the disease early and keeping from becoming fatal are higher for those women who are proactive and perform monthly self-exams and regularly visit their health care practitioners. For those who are diagnosed with breast cancer, many support groups are available.

Breast cancer is a deadly disease, claiming over 502,000 people in 2005 alone. It is the fifth most common type of cancer. Every woman needs to know how to detect it early on and protect herself from this disease. If you find a lump your doctor can get you the appropriate tests, such as a mammogram, to make sure. One symptom does not mean that you have cancer. But if you are diagnosed, you have several treatment options. Don't delay telling your doctor about a lump for fear of having a mastectomy. Early detection is critical, and if the disease is caught early on it is highly treatable.