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Show Your Doctor Says... The following is one of a sertes oj articles written by members of the Utah State Medical Association and publsihed in cooperation with your local newspaper. These articles are scheduled to appear every other week throughout the year in an effort to better acquaint you with problems of health, and designed to improve the well-being of the people of Utah. CANCER OF THE BREAST To appreciate the manifestations of cancer in the breast, one must know something about the relationship relation-ship between the growth of cancer and the development of the human body. Life begins with the fusion of a male and female reproductive cell; from this union the complete structure of the body develops. The offspring resembles the parents, par-ents, possesses the same organs and structure. Its growth is steady until adulthood. Then further growth ceases, and the body is maintained by a process of restoration res-toration and repair which continues throughout the life span. If, for example, a hand is cut, the reparative re-parative processes are immediately set in motion to restore the tissue to its original state. When healing heal-ing is finished, further cell growth beyond that necessary for repair is halted by a mysterious governing process. In the cancerous type of growth, cells begin to develop within a certain organ or tissue of the body, at first resembling closely in structure the cells from which they originate, but they are not bound, as are normal ceils, by any-governing any-governing process. In contrast they grow wildly without restraint, break through the barriers the body sets up against them, and 1 spread by direct expansion, by means of the lymphatic system, or through the blood stream, to distant dis-tant parts of the body where thpy continue their growth. They chen use the body as a host to feed upon and eventually destroy. Cancer of the breast may begin in the connective tissue, which is a supportive structure, the milk ducts, or the nipple. It may be held in check and kept as a solitary soli-tary nodule by the resisting forces of the body for some time, but eventually will break through and spread by enlargement or through the lymphatic system to the arm pit where the lymphatic glands temporarily halt it, only to become be-come cancerous themselves. It may also spread through the blood stream to the lungs and all parts of the body. If a nodule is found in the breast which cannot be definitely established estab-lished as non-cancerous, it must be removed surgically and subjected subject-ed to careful microscopic examination. examina-tion. I, it is found to be malignant, then the breast, the underlying muscle, the fatty tissue of the surrounding region, and the lymphatic lym-phatic structure together with all regional lymph nodes, must be removed re-moved to effect a cure. Extensive x-ray treatment may be used following fol-lowing surgery in some instances. Periodic follow-up examinations of the patient are then made to determine if there is any evidence evi-dence of recurrence of the disease. These examinations should extend over a number of years. From the foregoing discussion of cancer of the breast, the following fol-lowing rules for the cure of the disease can be formulated: first, avoid injury or irritation of the breast. Do not wear ill-fitting supports, and guard against abrasion and bruises. Second, conduct frequent self-examinations to discover early as possible abnormalities such as lumps or masses, or bleeding of the nipple: nress the breast with the palm of the hand against the breast wall. If a lump remains while gentle oressure is exerted, consult a com-"""it com-"""it physician immediately. The earlier cancer is detected, the "renter are the chances for cure. Third, submit to periodical physical examinations not less often than once a year. The three steps in fiht against cancer are (1) pre-ention pre-ention (2) earlv detection (3) irnmnt and competent treatment. |