We have all seen if not worn the pretty little pink ribbon that is the symble of Breast Cancer research. Every twelve minutes in America a women dies of breast cancer. That number should shock you, since the nineteen sixty the number of women that had breast cancer has doubled. For every one hundred women that get breast cancer one male will be diagnosis with the disease.

Caught early breast cancer has a very high success rate. Your yearly physical will included a breast examine and that is great, but most physician will recommend that you do a monthly examine noting any changes in your breasts. This is done the week following your menstrual cycle. You will notice that your breast might have a few bumps, but you will soon recognize them as part of your body. However if you find a bump that was not there or is hard and painful you should consult your doctor.

You can find a self breast examine brochure at your pharmacy or your doctor should be able to provide one. It is best to do the examine in the shower with a soapy hand so that your hand will move easily over the skin.

There was a time many years ago that breast cancer was not treatable. It was a death sentence. That is not the case today. If you catch breast cancer in time the five year survival rate is now 96%.

How do you know if you have breast cancer? Well like some diseases you will not look any different with your cloths on. However with regular breast examines you might not the following things during the examine. A lump/ bump that is firm and often painless, or perhaps a portion of the skin on the breast swells and is unusual in appearance. In some cases you might note the veins on the surface of breast is more prominent then the other one. If the breast nipple becomes inverted, developes a rash, or has a discharge and you are not breast feeding, you will want to call your doctor.

If you find a lump~ stop and breathe, only two out of ten lumps found are cancerous, and the fact that you found one in time could make all the difference.