Breast Cancer and Midwifery Approaches

Abstract

Breast cancer is a disease that occurs with the uncontrolled proliferation of cells surrounding the milk glands and ducts in the breast. Many factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, personal and family history of breast cancer, overweight, physical activity, smoking and alcohol use cause breast cancer. In order to protect and improve women's health during the breast cancer process, quality and qualified care should be provided by a multidisciplinary team. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. Similarly, according to 2019 data from the Health Statistics Yearbook, breast cancer ranks first among the most common cancer types among women in Turkey. While the number of women who lost their lives due to breast cancer in the world was 570.000 in 2015, it increased to 685.000 in 2020 and this number is estimated to be 991.000 in 2040. In the comparison between countries, it is stated that the country with the highest incidence of breast cancer is Belgium, and the country with the lowest incidence is Mongolia. Symptoms include breast mass, pain, nipple discharge, erythema, ulceration, orange peel appearance, retraction sign, lymph node enlargement and abnormal sagging. While breast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide, it is the most common type of cancer among women. It is also the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in both developed and developing countries. Factors such as low awareness of breast cancer in women, difficulty in accessing services, and fear of being diagnosed with cancer negatively affect participation in screening programs. In order to increase women's awareness of breast cancer, the Ministry of Health recommends that every woman after the age of 20 be given counseling for Breast Self-Examination.