In life, many people will naturally associate breast diseases with women's diseases when they mention them.
But on second thought, boys also have breasts, and even some middle-aged men and fitness enthusiasts have large breasts, so why do they rarely see men suffering from breast diseases?
The mammary glands are the appendage glands of the skin, the male mammary glands gradually degenerate around the age of one and a half years, and the female mammary glands proliferate during puberty, and gradually mature after menstruation begins.
And it will always recur or increase according to the changes in hormone levels in the body during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy and lactation.
Therefore, glandular cells have always been in a relatively active state, and it is this physiological structure that makes girls more susceptible to breast diseases.
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In addition, the following are also common factors contributing to the high incidence of breast disease in women:
Age and marriage factors
Studies have shown that breast hyperplasia, breast tumors and other breast diseases are high in the age of 30 to 55 years old, and the hormone levels of the body decrease significantly after the age of 30, which is more likely to occur breast diseases.
First sexual life[1].
Women over childbearing age who have never given birth or have never been breastfeeding have a higher prevalence [2].
Whether there is a history of miscarriage in the past
The higher the risk of breast disease is higher than those who have a prior history of miscarriage than those without a history of miscarriage, and the greater the number of miscarriages[2].
Occupational factors
Studies have found that the prevalence of breast diseases among doctors, teachers, and company managers is higher than that of ordinary occupations, which may be related to the long-term high tension of mental workers, resulting in endocrine disorders and breast diseases [2].
Emotional factors
People with frequent depression, negativity, and pessimism have a significantly higher prevalence than those with cheerful personalities [1].
This may be mainly related to the body's immunomodulatory function and immunosuppressive state.
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It is recommended that you find breast problems in time through self-examination and regular physical examination, and if you find abnormalities, go to the hospital as soon as possible.
The doctor will provide a professional examination plan to determine whether there is a breast disease and the severity of the disease, and give a treatment plan in time.
Breast self-examination
When you check at home, you need to stand in front of the mirror, and your upper limbs will naturally sag to see if the breasts are symmetrical;
Whether the skin is sunken, red and swollen, eczema, orange peel-like changes;
The presence or absence of inverted nipples, discharges, and the presence of lumps under the armpits and clavicle.
Then touch again. To avoid the effects of the menstrual cycle, it is best to perform a touch self-test a week after the end of menstruation.
When touching, the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger should be brought together and performed with the abdomen of the fingers.
Touch the firmness and elasticity of the breast, whether there is pain or not, lumps.
If the mass is palpable, attention should be paid to the hardness and range of motion of the mass;
Squeeze the nipple to observe the presence or absence of secretions and the nature of the secretions;
Touch the armpits and clavicle for lumps or indurations, and seek medical attention if abnormalities are found.
Hospital examination
If you find a lump or pain in your breast, a leak, etc., be sure to go to the hospital in time for examination.
Usually, the doctor will first perform a palpation to see if there is a "suspicious" lump inside the breast or a general breast hyperplasia.
After that, doctors may recommend further tests, usually choosing a molybdenum target, ultrasound, or pathological examination depending on the patient's condition.
1. Persons over 40 years of age
After the age of 40, the incidence of breast cancer increases significantly, and it is recommended that female friends over 40 years old be screened regularly, and the frequency of screening is recommended once a year to increase the early detection rate of breast cancer.
2. High estrogen exposure
The occurrence of breast disease is related to estrogen, usually women with early menarche age (< 10 years old) or late menopause (>55 years old) have been exposed to the estrogen environment of the breast for a long time and have a relatively high probability of breast disease.
In addition, women who use estrogen during perimenopause are also prone to increase the incidence of breast diseases.
3. Not breastfeeding, not having children, having children after the age of 30
Usually after a woman gives birth to a baby, the hormones in the body will change greatly, and under the stimulation of prolactin and various hormones, the breasts will change greatly.
If you have late or infertility, the risk of breast disease increases.
4. People with a family history of illness
Family history is an important risk factor for breast cancer [1], and if a mother has breast cancer, her children have a higher risk of breast cancer than the general population, and an earlier age of initiation is recommended (
5. Obese people
Postmenopausal women or women with weight gain during perimenopause have an increased risk of breast cancer.
It is recommended to eat less fried, fried, smoked and high-fat foods, moderate and reasonable weight loss and physical exercise in order to reduce the incidence of breast diseases.
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Breast diseases are more common in the clinic, and the incidence has gradually increased in recent years, and the harm to the female population has become increasingly prominent.
If you happen to belong to a high-risk group of breast diseases, do not be too "light enemies" of breast diseases, it is recommended to regularly go to the hospital or professional medical institutions for breast screening.
A timely, valuable screening and interpretation can help us minimize our risk of disease.
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Of course, male friends should not feel that breast disease has nothing to do with themselves, after all, clinical cases of breast cancer in men also occur from time to time, although the incidence is low (about 1% of all breast cancer patients).
Don't miss the best time for treatment because of contempt.
When women examine their breasts, they can also help their other half to check it, just in case.
Audit specialists
Wang Jing | Chief Physician of the Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
Wang Xiangyu | Doctor of Medicine, Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
bibliography
[1] Chen Chunyan, Shi Yanping, Yao Xueqing. Analysis of the prevalence and causative factors of breast disease in young women[J] . Nursing Research, 2018(32):2277-2279.
Xiao Baoling. Research and preventive measures for risk factors of breast-related diseases in women[J].Jilin Medicine,2013(34):2297-2298.
*The content of this article is a popularization of health knowledge and cannot be used as a specific diagnosis and treatment recommendation, nor is it a substitute for face-to-face consultation by a practicing physician, for reference only.
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