What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the mammary glands.
The mammary gland is made up of lobules and milk ducts. The mammary gland radiates out from the nipple like the branches of a tree, and at the end of each radiate are the lobules that produce breast milk. The milk ducts carry breast milk to the nipple.
Most breast cancers arise from the cells that make up these lobules.
If changes in the breasts are left untreated, cancer cells will grow and spread outside the mammary gland, and travel via the lymph and bloodstream to organs far from the breast, such as the lungs, liver, and bones.
In Japan, the number of women suffering from breast cancer is increasing year by year, reaching approximately 2008 in 4. It is said that one in every 20 Japanese women will develop breast cancer, and the number of people who die from breast cancer has also increased nearly seven-fold over the past 1 years.
In 2008, more than 1 people died.
Breast cancer is also the leading cause of cancer death among prime-age women (aged 30 to 64).
Just because you're young doesn't mean you can rest easy.
*2008 Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Vital Statistics Summary
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among middle-aged women
Recently, the incidence of breast cancer has been seen in younger generations from the age of 20 onwards, increasing further in those in their 30s, peaking in the late 40s to 50s. After this, the incidence rate decreases slightly, but remains high until the 80s.
Once you turn 20, you're at breast cancer age.
Trends in the number of breast cancer patients and deaths
Regular breast cancer screening is very important
Japan is the only country where the death rate from breast cancer is on the rise.
In the United States and the United Kingdom, mortality rates have been declining since 1995 due to the spread of mammography screening and awareness campaigns.
For early detection
To detect breast cancer early, it is a good idea to combine regular health checkups (regular checkups) with regular self-examinations.
Get screened for breast cancer
It is said that combining a medical interview, visual and tactile examination with imaging tests can lead to early detection.
Mammography examination
A mammogram is a specialized X-ray examination of the breasts.
The breast is placed on a transparent board and photographed from two directions, top, bottom, left and right. By clamping the breast, the inside can be clearly seen.
It has the advantage of being able to detect lumps that cannot be detected by touch alone, calcification of dead cancer cells, and even contraction of the mammary glands caused by breast cancer, making it possible to detect small cancers before they become lumps.
On the other hand, because both lumps and the mammary glands themselves appear white on a mammogram, it can be difficult to detect breast cancer or lumps in young women with well-developed mammary glands.
*The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends that women aged 40 and over have a combined mammogram and visual and tactile examination every two years.
Echo (ultrasound) examination
This is a test in which ultrasound waves are applied to the breast and the reflected ultrasound (echoes) are used to produce cross-sectional images of the inside of the breast.
This is a non-radioactive test, and breast tissue appears white and cancer appears black, so even young people with developed breast tissue and pregnant or breastfeeding women can undergo the test.
