Answers
1. B
Early pregnancy is not a potential risk factor for breast cancer. In fact, women who have no children or choose to start having children after age 30 are at a greater risk for breast cancer.
2. D
According to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the triad approach -- BSE, clinical breast exam and mammogram from age 50 or where risk-appropriate -- is the best approach.
3. D
A lump, mass or thickening in the breast tissue, a change in breast shape or swelling and discharge from the nipple are possible symptoms of breast cancer. If you discover anything unusual with your breasts, contact your doctor immediately.
4. C
BSEs should be performed lying down, one week after your period. The best way to do one is to lie down, look in the mirror and, with your fingers, feel your breasts, underarms and chest. For instructions on performing a BSE, view this pdf from the Canadian Cancer Society.
5. A
Exercise can reduce your risk of getting breast cancer. A healthy lifestyle does not guarantee a breast cancer-free life, but studies have shown that you can reduce your risk through a diet low in saturated fat, moderate alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.
6. C
A diagnostic mammogram is an X-ray that's taken when an abnormality is detected or suspected. A screening mammogram detects the abnormality. The diagnostic mammogram is conducted to determine what the abnormality is. An ultrasound may also be used to determine whether a lump is solid or fluid.
7. B
If the cancer is found early enough and has stayed within the ducts or lobules, they can be removed and the risk of spreading is nullified. Answers C and D refer to inflammatory breast cancer, an uncommon type of breast cancer that also begins in the ducts.
8. D
Ridges; round, itchy areas; irregularly patterned distended veins on the breast; and dimpling, puckering or thickening of the skin are possible signs of breast cancer. You may also feel an increased warmth in the skin.
9. D
A biopsy, in which a section of a cancer tumour is surgically removed, is essential in diagnosing breast cancer, but it doesn't reveal the extent of the cancer's growth. Staging tests, including X-rays, CAT scans and MRIs, are used to determine the extent of the cancer.
10. A
Paget's mainly affects the breast nipple. Sarcomas and cystosarcoma phyllode tumours begin in the lymph and blood vessels. Occult is found in the axillary lymph nodes and other parts of the body, while lobular starts in the milk glands of the breast.
Didn't get a perfect score? For more information about breast cancer visit the following websites:
• Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
• Canadian Cancer Society
• American Breast Cancer Foundation
• Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
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