A Simple Itch Can Cause Breast Cancer

I was startled by the news that was brought about by my mother, who's active in community service as barangay councilor, regarding one of the mothers in our place, believed to be suffering from breast cancer. The mother, who's breastfeeding her 5 month-old baby, suffered an itchy rash on her left breast last month. She said she continued scratching it due to its itchiness but it became a inflamed and became a full-blown open wound. My mother told the husband to better send the ailing mother in the hospital but the family cannot afford to do so because they don't have enough money for the treatment.

The problem with our local health center at our place is that it only opens Wednesday every week with the presence of a resident midwife managing and distributing medicines to the residents. So, there's no available help to ease the burden of the mother. They resorted to herbal medicines, but the open wound became malignant and another two wounds appeared on the breast. It has a smelly pus, like a decaying dead rat, according to her friends. I wanted to visit the mother, but my mother said that it isn't necessary to do so, even if I said that I will write about it on HubPages.

Good thing is , October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am sharing this hub, because women's breasts are very delicate, especially when mothers are breastfeeding. A simple itch should not be ignored and be consulted to a family doctor for more concise advise.

More often than not, my married sisters are aware of the ongoing campaign on Breast Cancer this month.

Four of my five sisters are already married and they have received helpful tips and related information regarding the topic from their pediatricians or family doctors.

My elder sister agreed that 'breast cancer awareness' is the trending topic among women. So, it is a must for women, young and old, should be aware of the signs and symptoms when it comes to the subject.

She further explained to me that even a 'simple itch' can cause severe effects on women's breasts if aggravated, as what happened to one of the mothers in our place.

There are terminologies that should be remembered by women: the invasive and non-invasive.

I collated these facts from the medical resources in order not to commit mistakes in describing this sensitive issue for women.

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the tissues of the breast.

There are two main types of breast cancer:

• Ductal carcinoma starts in the tubes (ducts) that move milk from the breast to the nipple. Most breast cancers are of this type.
• Lobular carcinoma starts in parts of the breast, called lobules, that produce milk.

My other sister who is a midwife by profession, a mother of five kids, also said that breast checkup should be required once young girls started to menstruate because of their capacity to sire a child---even at a young age. The danger of having the signs and symptoms of breast cancer is always at bay.

My youngest sister who's always on the go, being a police woman, is also aware of this subject, too. She said that they're most prone to this disease due to their constant battle with street crimes and related traffic duties and all. During her 'agility test', she related that 'breast bump' cannot be avoided due to the rigid training she experienced.

In my opinion, job factor can aggravate the circumstance of having the disease, even among men---like what I've learned about a week ago regarding an old Filipino man having a breast cancer.

Anybody, including me, can be prone to this disease if I am exposed to a job where my chest is often subjected to accidental bumps or hits.

Although, it's been an isolated cases, more often than not, men who are affected of such malady used to ignore the fact that we are still culpable of being inflicted with that kind of cancer.

Let us read some of the comments who were affected by breast cancer. I've collated these narratives or testimonies, so that those who are skeptics will believe on what they've experienced. All of them have accounts on YouTube.

1. "I'm going to get this lump checked out. I didn't realize the pain and lump in my left nipple could be cancerous."(Pinkerton1)
2. "Well, what most people here are talking about are gynecamastia. i have that. but from what I'm studying now if this don't go away soon it could end up leading to me having breast cancer. the cause is estrogen. 40% of males with gynecamastia die of breast cancer." (nodnarbdoowon)
3. "My name is Conrado, 32 y/o male. I'm from the Philippines. I had an inflammation on my left man's breast it was like a cyst. when i was 16 yo. but during 2006 it grew up about 6cm or more. I don't know if it is a breast cancer I'm really afraid. sometimes my left shoulder is very painful and my neck also my left arm. does anyone in cancer organization can help me to treat this? i don't have enough money, i wanna live long. at present I'm here in South Korea working as a factory worker." (conrad16hp)
4. "I saw its equally worse on both male & female. For a women, its such an intimate part of our bodies...for men, it's just not expected. As a daughter of a male breast cancer survivor, I do wish there were more awareness of the above subject." (mexicana712)

We normally feel hardness on our breasts during the age of puberty, especially among males. I used to feel little pain whenever my breasts were touched but it passed when I reached my manhood.

So, there, let us be aware of this often-ignored fact that man can be spared from breast cancer.

There's a video guide that I will share if you (men, specially), will undergo breast checkup.