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When it comes to cancer, any type is something to be concerned about. For women, the most common occurrence is breast cancer regardless of race, body type, geographic location or social status. It is simply a universal threat.

How big of an issue is breast cancer? It is the second most common form of cancer in the world. It accounts for approximately 1 percent of all deaths in the world regardless of cause whether they be car crashes, war or disease. The latest statistics show roughly half a million people dying each year from breast cancer.

What is breast cancer? As with any cancer, it is the growth of abnormal cell structures. As the name suggests, it appears in the breasts of women as well as men. The first impression is typically as a small tumor. As time passes, the tumor will spread to surrounding tissue. Eventually, the cancerous cells will reach a point where they can spread throughout the body. With breast cancer, this typically occurs when they spread to the lymph nodes found in the underarm area. Once introduced, they are spread throughout the body via the lymphatic system.

Given this description of breast cancer, it probably comes as no surprise that the vast majority of breast cancer cases are not discovered by doctors. Instead, upwards of 80 percent of cases are identified by the patient as they do self examinations feeling for lumps. This is true even though most women undergo an annual mammogram.

When performing a self-diagnosis, the finding of a lump is not the end of the world. In fact, the majority of breast lumps are not cancerous. Instead, they are often found to be cysts or fibrotic changes to the breast. That being said, don't take a chance. If you do find a lump, make sure to get it checked out by your doctor.