Cord Blood Banking Pros and Cons

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Future mom and dads often think about the cord blood banking pros and cons when they find out they are going to be a parent. Of course this is probably after they have discussed the other serious and fun questions, like which doctor they would want to use, will they decide to use formula or go natural, what to new the new little one, and so forth.

Once they go to the doctors and start registering they will start to receive mail from all sorts of different cord blood banking companies. Some of these companies may be overly aggressive with their marketing and their wording a little scary. Pointing out only the pros of banking the cord blood, like stating that this will be a one time shot insurance coverage that you do not want to miss out on. And do not regret skipping the banking because it could save your child’s life one day. They never mention the cons. The biggest being the amount of money they will charge in order to process the blood and to remove the stem cells.

Banking cord blood is costly, without a doubt. Costing between one thousand and three thousand dollars. There is also a yearly fee. Some cord blood banking companies will include the first few years in their initial pricing. Or give away a few years as a promotional discount bonus.

As pros and cons go, it is a huge pro to bank the stem cells, but not if it is going to break your personal bank. If you have the extra money you should strongly consider banking. If you have a tight budget, you may want to do further research and see if it is worth it. Like what diseases are even treatable if you do the cord blood banking. Stem cells will not fight ever disease. However another pro could be pointed out that this technology is still NEW. No one has any idea where stem cells will be in 5 or 10 years. As a possible con against saving the umbilical cord blood, maybe something better will come a long in the future. As a pro, maybe stem cells will be even more of a powerful medicine making the banking of the blood even more important.

There is no pain at all with the procedure. Maybe you should say no additional pain after the childbirth.

So as pointed out previously as cost being one of the cons, if you can not afford to do the banking of the cord blood then you can always give it. Contact banks that take in umbilical stem cells if you are willing to do that.

Saving another persons life is very rewarding also. Add that to the pros side of the pros and cons list.

One of the final pros would be the benefit of the entire family. Though the compatibility chances are slimmer, the possibility remains. If someone else in the family were to get sick, that banked stem cells could be there to help them. Brother, sister, mom or dad. As you branch out from the immediate child, the odds get slimmer, but still astronomically higher than if you were go and try to find a match from a public cord blood banking company.

There are a lot more pros than cons when it comes to cord blood banking but it is still not for everyone.

Mortgage Quotes Banks Would Rather You Not See

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Deciding to consider refinancing of mortgage for home loan is a major determination. Next key issue involved is to find ways to get profitable quotes for mortgage from banks. A thorough research of prevailing market rates is essential to obtain competitive quote from mortgage firms. Being familiar with current trends enables one stand a better chance of bargaining for lower interest charges. Mortgage rates usually increase or decrease in accordance with securities in Wall Street. A careful overview of market trends helps one save considerably on interests.

Comparing different loan schemes from a particular mortgage vendor and also form different vendors would facilitate one to choose the most profitable scheme. Among major tools available in market for evaluating dissimilar loans programs is the Annual Percentage Rate (APR). Laws of the state make it mandatory to expressively disclose APR while marketing their mortgage rates.

This is for the benefit of borrower and to prevent them from falling prey to lower advertised rates, and find out if there are any hidden fees and upfront costs involved later.

Personal meeting with lenders, bank officials’ and mortgage professionals’ help in getting a competitive interest quote for your loan. Being well prepared with entire documentary evidence in support of your financial situation before meeting the people at bank enhances chances of receiving lower interests. Presenting documents to support your favorable credit history would tempt bank managers to provide you with lucrative mortgage quotes. Papers essential to obtain fast and lucrative loans rates include:

• Verification of employment status and proof of income sources.

• Previous paid credit card bills and other similar statements to show history of genuine payments in past.

• Purchase contract of the house if it is available.

• Bank details such as address of bank and your account numbers are important. Also previous 2-3 months statement of current and savings account are required.

• Tax returns of last two years provide excellent proof of your financial position and hence should always be carried along while visiting the mortgage professional.

• Entire information about other existing debt like car loans, student loans, retail credit cards or furniture loans, if any are required to acquire mortgage deal.

• Presenting any gift vouchers received from relatives and friends would encourage bank managers to have increased faith in your paying capabilities. Such gift letters ensure that money acquired through gifts belongs to the recipient and the recipient does not have any liability on such financial assets.

• Self-employed individuals may present their previous year’s balance sheets and other tax statements.

Another good deal is about initially locking the specific rate of interest at time of proposal that would be charged. The process of loan approval might take some time and during such a time interval there might be fluctuation in rates of interest. Getting mortgage quote fixed at time of application relieves one from falling prey to chances of higher charges being imposed at time of loan approval.
Interest rates charged by bank also depend upon factors as amount of loan required, time period of loan, down payment, discount points, adjustable rates, closing stocks and so on.

Pros and Cons of Cord Blood Banking

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The stem cell cord blood banking has been the ray of hope for treating incurable medical problems. But it has its own share of its pros and cons. Certain factors such as morals, race, medical history of genetic problems etc. that can influence the decision to opt for blood storage.

Factors Affecting Cord Blood Donation

Receiver’ compatibility – because of the immaturity of the stem cells found in cord blood, the receiver has a lower risk of graft as against. host illness, which can be a severe immunity problem. Convenience – it is simpler to recover blood form the cord as compared to bone marrow. It is due to its cryogenic storage and is easily obtainable for transplant. It is difficult to find bone marrow donor and the procedure to obtain it is difficult. Cultural or racial groups – Race and morals hamper the bone marrow donation. CB banking, where the blood form the cord is saved at the time of childbirth, helps in this point. Free services – if you cannot afford the charges CB registry, certain private banking companies offer free services.

PROS

The major benefit of preserving blood from the cord is its easy availability during the moment of saving a persons life. The stem cells are already present in the cord blood bank, so, are easily available in case of the transplant. No pain or harm caused to the mother or baby at the time of cord blood collection. It is a very easy procedure performed right after delivery.

Cord-blood cells can assist in curing of over 50 diseases like leukemia, critical sickle cell anemia, aplastic anemia, etc. Stem cell cord blood is more likely to become the accurate fit for family members and relatives without the risk of rejection by the receivers body.

CONS

No accurate approximation to assert that a normal child without any risk factor will use her own preserved blood.

The commercial cord-blood bank charges around $ 1,500 for CB registry, along with the annual $ 100 maintenance fee. Also, you might have to pay a few hundred dollars to get the cord blood collection kit, towards the courier fees, and for first steps of cord blood banking.

Many stem cell transplants are carried out only on kids or tens. They are insufficient for an adult transplant. A big-sized person requires bigger quantity of blood producing stem cells for a successful transplant.

There is no clear proof to validate that stem cells of a relative are more successful than those taken from a stranger. Both the donors have same success rate since the cord blood stem cells are unripe, so, the perfect match is immaterial.

Doctors donate have much expertise in cordblood stem cell transplantation.

Few medical experts opine that a sick child obtaining her own cord blood stem cells can become susceptible to be afflicted with the same disease again. But this fact is not medically supported. Blood cord storage can be a new fashion very soon. But the decision lies in your hands. Also, you must choose well beforehand of the due date as the loss of the precious blood, makes it difficult to recover it.

Lowest Quotes

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Every insurer likes to think they have the lowest quotes for car insurance. They often promise competitive rates, online discounts, and a customised package to suit your needs. However, despite the flashy ads and tempting deals, the best and quickest way to find the lowest car insurance quotes is to compare rates online.

The car insurance industry has seen rapid growth in recent years with the rise of new competitors such as Australia Post, Coles, Kmart, Progressive, and Real. Australians are taking notice of new providers because they often focus on providing the lowest quotes in the market, savings drivers hundreds of dollars worth of fees per year.

Here are some things to look out for when youre searching for the cheapest quote:

No claim bonus: Some of the best deals are offering no claim bonuses of 60 or 70 per cent, allowing you to shave off your premiums every year.
Safe driver bonus: Many insurers offer programs to reward safe drivers by providing even further discounts on your premium, as well as other benefits such as car hire.
Some insurers offer discounts for taking extra safe driving courses.
How you pay your premiums will also affect how much you save. Those who pay in monthly instalments or those who choose 6 month policies will sometimes face higher quotes and fees, which is why many drivers prefer the yearly lump sum.
Online discounts: Insurers often reward new customers who register online with a discount on their advertised quotes.

Fees also differ greatly between the major cities, with average prices in Melbourne and Sydney ranked consistently higher than Brisbane. Customers who think the grass is greener on the other side are encouraged to compare the lowest quotes in their own city for realistic prices.

Lastly, you should also comb through product disclosure statements to understand where you can make the savings with your insurance policy.

There are hundreds of car insurance products in the market, and no matter how many numbers you call or advisers you see, the hunt for the elusive lowest quote will always lead you to comparing prices online.

A Short Discussion on Cancer Symptoms

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One of the world’s most intriguing medical mysteries is cancer. There are many different kinds that can attack different parts of the body. Most of the time, it is really unknown why and when cancer cells develop. When cancer is present in the body it can be very stressful to the person that has it as well as their family. Once cancer is present in the body, it can require intensive treatment and support from the doctor, nurses and family is a necessity.

Cancer is often referred to as a silent killer because some types of cancer cells can be in the body without showing any signs. That is why when most people find out about having cancer, it is usually very well developed and hard to fight off. Having cancer does not mean you have been handed a death sentence. The trick is to be able to detect cancer symptoms before the cancer cells have a chance to take over the area of the body they are attacking.

It is really important to catch the cancer cells before it develops into a deadly problem. All cancer is serious, but there are ways to fight the “infection” to help the body recover and most of the treatments that are available are very successful at killing the cancer cells.

Although cancer cells in the body are difficult to detect, it really helps to know what kind of symptoms to look for. Early detection can often mean the difference between life and death. Symptoms of cancer in the body often mimic other diseases and illnesses and it is imperative that medical attention be sought after as soon as some of the symptoms occur. Regular cancer screenings for those that are high risk will also help detect any type of problems before they get out of control. Limiting common cancer causes, such as smoking and sun exposure, will also help eliminate the changes of getting the condition.

One type of cancer that is common among those that smoke or have other type of breathing problems is lung cancer. The symptoms of this type are a persistent cough, sometimes producing bloody mucus. This type of cough does not go away with the use of cough suppressants or cough syrups.

Another very important indication that something is wrong is a change in bowel habits. Any type of bloody stool should be reported to your doctor immediately. Even a change in the size, color or consistency in bowel movements can indicate serious medical problems and should not be ignored. Many times diarrhea that will not go away is an indication of cancer.

Cancer typically attacks the blood cells; therefore, any type of unexplained anemia is a warning that should be checked. Many times women will experience anemia during their menstrual cycle, but it can usually be reversed by ingesting more iron. If the condition continues or worsens, it is cause for alarm.

Be sure to talk to your doctor about any of the mentioned warning signs. Cancer symptoms should never be ignored and should be investigated.

Choosing the Right Cord Blood Bank

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While going for stem cell cord blood banking, you should look for a bank that saves blood in small batches, in either compartmented bags or multiple vials, instead of single bag or vial. This type of storage process renders you the potential to utilize your baby’s cord blood on one and more occasions. At present, it is not possible, but scientists are busy finding out techniques to expand stem cells within a single unit of this blood. Therefore, if you choose a bank that uses compartmented-bag or multiple-vial storage system today, you might be able to utilize it to treat many people and many diseases someday. It feels proud to be a part of the ever-changing medical scenario.

The bank will ask you for a written permission for the storage. You will also be required to give a blood sample for testing for infectious disease and to fill a health record form. The banks keep all information identifying the mother or baby donor confidential. In case the tests carried out on the blood sample reveals information that you must know for your and your baby’s health, the bank will inform you.

According to some experts, the ideal case is with the bank that subcontracts storage to some existing public cord blood bank. When we compare, the public banks have since long been under strict regulation by the FDA and have to undergo rigorous operating procedures.

If your choice is a private bank, then choose one that preserve blood units independent to the other frozen samples. The freezer, which is specially meant for this storage only, is opened lesser number of times, thus, protecting your sample from the effects of temperature fluctuations. In addition to this, you must ask the bank officials the number of successful transplants they have performed from the samples stored at their bank. The number of successes indicates how careful they are in the storage so that the stem cells remain viable when they are taken out from the freezer.

Cord blood banking has still not become a routine in hospitals. It is a process that is entirely a choice and requires planning.

Tale of Two Breasts – A Cancer Story

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In September of 2004 my doctor found a lump. After several ultrasounds and mammograms, the concerns outweighed my age enough to necessitate a biopsy. At 26 years old, I wasn’t a likely candidate for a mammogram, let alone an open surgical biopsy.

The lump turned out to be many, but to my relief they were mostly simple fluid-filled cysts. However, it was because of those cysts that something of greater interest was discovered. The radiologist had seen several micro-calcifications that showed up as tiny white specks during my screenings.

In February, 2005, a fine wire localization biopsy was performed and a section was removed about the size of a stack of 6 toonies (a toonie is a Canadian two dollar coin). It was reviewed by the pathologist in Nanaimo and a diagnosis was unclear, so the slides were sent to a specialist at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver for consultation. According to his review, it was “a challenging case”. A month after the procedure, although I hadn’t actually seen the report, I was told that it was “not cancer”, but we should continue screening every 6 months to make sure nothing changed.

My experience with the BC Cancer Agency; Vancouver Island Centre didn’t transpire until one year later, once I was living in Victoria. I was in for a routine check up, and my new doctor requested my medical file from the previous clinic in Nanaimo. I had given him my version of the past 2 years’ events, so he was a little surprised to read my pathology report from the year before stating that I had been diagnosed with Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS), among other things. He made a call on my behalf, and within hours I was contacted by someone at the Cancer Agency here in Victoria.

I met with a specialist there a few days later and we went over my surgical pathology report to try to decipher exactly what it meant. He spent 3 hours with me going over the diagnosis, translating and even creating diagrams to help me understand. He was very thorough and helped put my mind at ease with the diagnosis.

Depending on who you ask, or what reports you read, LCIS is not considered cancer, as its name suggests. It has been explained to me that “in situ” means that abnormal cancer cells are present, but have not spread past the boundaries of tissues where they initially developed. LCIS is considered a red flag to allow both doctor and patient to keep an eye on things.

Essentially no invasive cancer was discovered, however several “markers” were found. Markers are indications of a heightened risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the future. There are several risk factors associated with the disease which include; age, hormonal risk factors, personal or family history, lifestyle habits and antecedent intraductal hyperplasia. Although neither my age nor lifestyle provide a heightened risk, my family history and the diagnosis of both intraductal hyperplasia, and LCIS do increase my risk significantly.

The implication of a cancer diagnosis is somewhat overwhelming, but the important message is that thanks to screenings made available through funding, I know about the risks and I am in control of my health care options.

Cancer in its early stages is difficult to detect without the use of screening tests. Thanks to concern from my doctors and a little diligence on my part, I am able to stay on top of my health concerns.

The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds so people are able to receive the care they need at any of the BC Cancer Agencies across the province. Their mandate includes research, prevention & education, early detection & diagnosis, and treatment & care. Visit their website bccancerfoundation.

The Basics

First of all, let’s try to understand what cancer is. Our body’s cells have genes which regulate the growth of said cells. A normal, healthy cell grows at a reasonable rate and eventually it dies out and is replaced by a new one. A cancer cell has the ability to divide at a rapid pace and produces many cells which form a tumor. A benign tumor is simply one that is made up of cells that are virtually normal and is considered harmless for the most part. The ones that concern doctors are malignant tumors which are cancerous and can continue to multiply spreading throughout the body.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in the breast, usually in the lobules (milk producing glands) or ducts(tubes that carry milk to the nipple). I say usually because it can also develop in the connective tissues of the breast; which is the fatty part that surrounds the ducts and lobules.

Understanding the Lymphatic System is an important part to understanding how breast cancer can spread. Lymph nodes are an assembly of immune system cells which are connected by lymphatic vessels (small veins carrying lymph away from the breast. Lymph is a clear fluid that contains tissue fluid, waste products and immune system cells. If cancer cells enter the lymphatic vessels they can begin to grow in the lymph nodes. If this happens there is a good chance that they have also gotten into the bloodstream therefore spreading to other parts of the body. However, just because it has reached the lymph nodes.

Why?

Only 5 – 10% of cancers are hereditary (passed down from mother or father). The cancer itself is not inherited, but the gene that increases the risk factor for developing the cancer is inherited. The other 90 – 95% of cancers are sporadic.

So what does that mean? Well, our genes have many jobs and are in charge of telling our cells what to do and when to do it. If there is a mutation in those genes it causes the cells to do strange things. In the case of cancer, a mutated gene is telling cells to divide when they shouldn’t be which causes tumors (as discussed in The Basics). For the most part, gene mutations usual happen later in life and are a result of natural aging or exposure to things like

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Broad Options: Life Insurance Quotes

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The sole straightforward answer to your troubles about the security of your folks should you happen to die all of a sudden is a Life Assurance Policy. Once you organize this, you can be assured that your relatives will live with the protection you’ve taken for them for their future and you can go about your work during your lifetime without that care to stress about.

There are many kinds of Insurance Covers and you need to spend a while to investigate and arrive at the one which will suit you most in all its features. The policy should be useful to you when you’re living and there after to your family and friends. Generally Life-Insurance has been broadly split into 2 broad bands. The first one is named Term Life Assurance and its main function is to guard you.

Some refer to this kind of insurance as a brief insurance and is meant to shield your family financially in the eventuality of your unexpected death. Also this sort is designed for a particular period varying from 10-30 years. Shorter periods for precise requirements may also be bartered to fit your convenience. In the strong viewpoints of professionals, this sort of insurance could be the cheapest re premiums, simultaneously guaranteeing the security of your relatives.

Augmenting Term Policy has the insured amount inflating each year by a particular % to get you better pay-outs to compensate the inflation and cost of getting by over time. Decreasing Term life Assurance is essentially used to cover mortgages or other particular loans and the insured amount decreases annual until, at the end of the given period it drops to 0. Level Term Cover has the covered amount remaining continued in the period of the contract. Family Benefit Term Cover makes sure that an once a month / quarterly / annual payment is created on regular basis to the beneficiaries for the leftover balance of the period after you die.

Also under the head you find vital sickness cover which is linked with decreasing Term Life Policies and releases an advance amount when you’re diagnosed as having vital sicknesses like cancer, blindness for example. Aside from this, under the same head you may get a Incapacity Term Life-Insurance Cover which may be paid in the eventuality of an abiding incapacity. It is fascinating to notice that most insurance pay-outs are accepted from tax. The second broad classification is named Permanent Insurance which was earlier called Whole-Life Insurance in view of its fixed premium and fixed returns.

This sort of cover insures your life and the insuring company makes payment at the completing of the policy period. This sort of policy is valuable addition in the shape of money increases. Over some time and under serious pressure from the patrons, the insurance corporations were compelled to permit to a modification of the current policy to Universal Life Assurance with flexible options for premium amount and time of payment.

Further suppleness developed in the shape of Variable Life-Insurance which is kind of on the lines of its previous version with the one difference that it has a tendency to make the insurer more responsible to the danger factor, simultaneously offering prospects of better returns. It is often possible to get a life assurance quote to comprehend the fiscal aids open to you and plan in advance.

Cord Blood Banks

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There is much debate over whether to opt for a public or private cord blood bank. Here we take a look at the arguments for and against each possibility.

On the side of public banking, many argue that this shows community spirit. They would also claim that it offers greater advantages than private banking. Why? Because, they say, a public pool to draw on is considerably larger than having a single source of blood. They add that private blood banks may not be useful for many conditions which are due to inherently defective genes.

Advocates of public banking say that many problems developed by children are genetic and cannot be treated with their own blood store which contains the same genes. They also reckon that the suitability of one sibling´s blood store may be as low as 1 in 4 where an exact genetic tissue match is required.

Supporters of public banks say the eventuality of your family members needing to make use of blood stem cells are extremely low. Probability varies from 1/1500 up to 1/200000.

They also point to the fact that fees for private cord blood banks range from around $ 500 to $ 2000 along with storage fees in the region of $ 100 per year. Fees for public banking tend to be very low, if not free.

Supporters of private blood banking point to rapid scientific advances which may well mean that many conditions not currently treatable with your own blood will be possible in the future, and that more and more ailments will be curable using one´s own blood stem cells. So, they say, while cures from your own blood gene cells may currently be limited to certain diseases, that situation is set to change radically over the next decade or so.

Even with current possibilities, if your family has a history of certain conditions, the more sense a private cord blood bank makes, they argue. They point out that public sources are still available even if you have your own private resource.

You may also opt to donate a small amount of cord blood to a public bank, thereby benefiting everyone although private bankers would also say that it can be very difficult to find public banks forthcoming in harvesting, collection and storing the blood. Much of this attitude is down to the cost for public banks which will normally cost them in excess of $ 1,000.

There is no guarantee that if a problem arises that can be treated with blood cells that public banks will be forthcoming in a timely manner, when this may be critical, or in fact at all. Your own personal store is always available and without delay.

It goes without saying that a private cord blood bank offers assurances that a public cord blood bank cannot make. Without more resources for public banks it seems unlikely that one would be depriving others of the benefits of your child´s blood stem cells if you opt to go privately. That said if you do decide not to store privately why not consider approaching a public provider to ascertain whether they would like to harvest your baby´s umbilical cord blood free of charge?

Breast Cancer Cause, Control And Cure For The Benefit Of Humankind

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Cancer accounts to a death of 6 million human lives per year. Modern medicine is aging with breath taking advances in cancer care with increasing awareness, preventing, detection, therapy, research and symptom management. Last 15 years has been a revolution. It is likely to fight Cancer out by getting an early detection especially at a pre cancer stage thus yielding best cure with much shorter treatment time, lesser cost, lesser body insult.

Am I at risk for breast cancer? Breast cancer is the most common malignancy-affecting woman in North America and Europe. Every woman is at risk for breast cancer. Close to 200,000 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2001. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women behind lung cancer. The lifetime risk of any particular woman getting breast cancer is about 1 in 8 although the lifetime risk of dying from breast cancer is much lower at 1 in 28. The diagnosis once confirmed by Doctor shocks in such a way that not only the patient suffers but entire family suffers the shock. Thus the patient and family both suffer differently and that adds to the total burden of cancer related illness.

Know your breast: The breast is a collection of glands and fatty tissue that lies between the skin and the chest wall. The glands inside the breast produce milk after a woman has a baby. Each gland is called as lobule and many such lobules make up a lobe. There are 15 to 20 lobes in each breast. The milk gets to the nipple from the glands by way of tubes called ducts. The glands and ducts get bigger when a breast is filled with milk, but the tissue that is most responsible for the size and shape the breast is the fatty tissue. There are also blood vessels and lymph vessels in the breast. Lymph is a clear liquid waste product that gets drained out of the breast into lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small, pea-sized pieces of tissue that filter and clean the lymph. Most lymph nodes that drain the breast are under the arm in what is called the axilla.

Risk factors for breast cancer: They can be divided into those that you cannot change and those that you can change. Some factors that increase your risk of breast cancer that you cannot alter include being a woman, getting older, having a family history (having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer doubles your risk), having a previous history of breast cancer, having had radiation therapy to the chest region, being Caucasian, getting your periods young (before 12 years old), having your menopause late (after 50 years old), never having children or having them when you are older than 30, and having a genetic mutation that increases your risk. Genetic mutations for breast cancer have become a hot topic of research lately. Between 3-10% of breast cancers may be related to changes in either the gene BRCA1 or the gene BRCA2.

Women can inherit these mutations from their parents and it may be worth testing for either mutation if a woman has a particularly strong family history of breast cancer (meaning multiple relatives affected, especially if they are under 50 years old when they get the disease). If a woman is found to carry either mutation, she has a 50% chance of getting breast cancer before she is 70. Family members may elect to get tested to see if they carry the mutation as well. If a woman does have the mutation, she can get more rigorous screening or even undergo preventive (prophylactic) mastectomies to decrease her chances of contracting cancer. The decision to get tested is a highly personal one that should be discussed with a doctor who is trained in counseling patients about genetic testing.

Certain factors which increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer can be altered including taking hormone replacement therapy (long term use of estrogens with progesterone for menopause symptoms slightly increases your risk), taking birth control pills (a very slight increased risk that disappears in women who have stopped them for over 10 years), not breastfeeding, drinking 2 to 5 alcoholic drinks a day, being overweight (especially after menopause), and not exercising. All of these modifiable risk factors are not nearly as important as gender, age, and family history, but they are things that a woman can control that may reduce her chances of developing a breast malignancy. Remember that all risk factors are based on probabilities, and even someone without any risk factors can still get breast cancer. Proper screening and early detection are our best weapons in reducing the mortality associated with this disease.

What are the signs of breast cancer? Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. This is why it is important to follow screening recommendations. As a tumor grows in size, it can produce a variety of symptoms including: lump or thickening in the breast or underarm, change in size or shape of the breast, nipple discharge or nipple turning inward, redness or scaling of the skin or nipple, ridges or pitting of the breast skin

Can you prevent breast cancer? The individual cannot control the most important risk factors for the development of breast cancer. There are some risk factors that are associated with an increased risk, but there is not a clear cause and effect relationship. In no way can strong recommendations be made like the cause and effect relationship seen with tobacco and lung cancer. There are a few risk factors that may be modified by a woman that potentially could influence the development of breast cancer. If possible, a woman should avoid long-term hormone replacement therapy, have children before age 30, breastfeed, avoid weight gain through exercise and proper diet, and limit alcohol consumption to 1 drink a day or less. For women already at a high risk, their risk of developing breast cancer can be reduced by about 50% by taking a drug called Tamoxifen for five

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