It's the 'C' word that puts many people on edge: Cancer.
And breast cancer is a far too common type of the deadly disease.
"Each year, approximately 200,000 women or more get diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the U.S," said Dr. Pavani Chalasani. "About 40-thousand... A little bit over 40,000 die from menistatic breast cancer."
Chalsani is a Assistant Professor of Medicine - Hermatology/Oncology at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.
But, before treatment - the best way to beat it, is to catch it quick.
"Early stage breast cancer has a better survival than stage 2 - stage 1 is better survival than 2 than 3 than 4," Dr. Chalsani explained.
KGUN9 found one website, touting the five warning signs of breast cancer that are often ignored. See the article here.
The first: a new mole or a change in an existing one.
The next, a cough or a hoarse throat that will not go away.
Following that, changes to your bladder or bowels.
Then, fatigue that also persists, no matter how much rest a person gets.
Finally, the list credits unexplained back pain as the last ignored symptom.
So, that seemingly normal list might freak some people out, right? Well, KGUN9 took that list to Dr. Chalsani to get her take on those five things.
"Everyone - the main thing I say is, listen to your body - it will tell you," Dr. Chalsani said. She went on to say, "But, what they mention in the article are there... but, they are there in large... More people who are healthy and never had a history of cancer."
Dr. Chalsani said, the list is not wrong. However, the symptoms are not the main culprits that show breast cancer.
"Early stage breast cancer is usually related to a lump in the breast or in the armpit or skin changes," Dr. Chalsani said. "If you have redness or irritation and you get rid of an infection, but it doesn't really resolve - don't keep on getting treated for multiple infections... because that is a warning sign that maybe it is something more serious."
Those five things could indeed be a sign if it persists for a long period of time. For Dr. Chalsani, her best advice: know what is normal to your body and what is not.
"The most common ones in resolving, like infections - common things that you have - if they do not go away, then get it worked out - why isn't it resolving?" Dr. Chalsani explained.
So, when it doubt - don't WebMD it. Just get it checked out.
