The good news is that even though breast cancer occurs so frequently, if it’s treated in the early stages it’s highly curable for about six out of seven cases. So one of the most important things you can do is keep watching for symptoms, so that even if breast cancer occurs, you have a good chance of beating it. If you don’t discover breast cancer until an advanced stage, your chances of recovery are much lower – only about one in seven.

So what are the symptoms? They vary from woman to woman, and unfortunately many of them can occur for a multitude of reasons, but if you observe any of the following symptoms on an ongoing basis, do yourself a favor and get it checked out by your doctor. Many symptoms don’t involve any noticeable discomfort or pain; so don’t wait for that to happen before seeking advice. Symptoms include: Breast is warm to touch, Itching in the breast region or armpit, Ridges or thickened areas of the skin on the breast or nipple, Pink, red or dark colored area that has a texture similar to orange skin, Something that looks like a bruise that doesn’t fade, Nipple starts becoming inverted, Pain in the breast, anything from stabbing pains through to a constant ache, The aureole changes in color and/or texture, The breast shape or size changes, Lump or swelling in the armpit, Discharge from the nipple, Dimpled skin on the breast.

Research has shown that certain groups of women are more at risk of developing breast cancer. So if you belong to a high-risk category, it’s even more important that you regularly monitor your breasts, and either have your breasts checked for lumps by your doctor, or learn to do it yourself. Major risk factors include: Hormone replacement therapy, Obesity, High fat diet, Taking the oral contraceptive pill, Family history of breast cancer, Alcohol use

Again, always remember that breast cancer is highly treatable if it’s caught early. It’s better to get something suspicious checked out by your doctor and be proven wrong, than let it go and find out later you could have reduced the chance of mastectomy or even death because of breast cancer. Most of the time any symptoms will prove to be unrelated to breast cancer, but don’t take that risk. Always get suspicious symptoms checked by your doctor, so you can get an accurate diagnosis.

Kidney cancer is a type of cancer that effects your kidneys, which are located behind your stomach, in your lower back just below your ribs. There are two common types of kidney cancer. One is the renal cell carcinoma and the other is the renal pelvis carcinoma. Most cancers that originate in the renal tubule are renal cell carcinoma and cell adenocarcinoma while those that originate from the renal pelvis are transitional cell carcinoma. Other less common types include squamous cell carcinoma, renal oncocytoma and mesoblastic nephroma.

One common symptom of kidney cancer is palpable mass in the abdomen, hematuria and hydronephrosis. The mass is first felt in the anterior lumbar region, between the margins of the ribs and then grows to the umbilicus and then up to the hypochondrium. Where the cases are extreme, the mass fills the entire belly. The location of the colon furnishes an important diagnostic mark of all types of kidney cancers.

Sometimes cancer in the kidney may be secondary, the result of metastasis. This is spreading from a primary cancer source elsewhere in the body to the kidney. There are certain types of kidney cancer that have a known hereditary risk. Worldwide, North America leads in the number of people diagnosed with kidney cancer every year.

Fewer cases have been reported in Asia and Africa. In the United Kingdom, cancer of the kidney is the eighth most common cancer in men. In Europe, kidney cancer accounts for nearly 3% of all cancer cases. It is the fourteenth most common cancer in women worldwide. Wilms’ tumors are most kidney cancers reported in children followed by congenital mesoblastic nephroma. Surgery is a standard treatment for kidney cancer. It’s aim is to surgically remove the tumour, usually along with the kidney and lymph nodes containing the tumour, and, if possible, surgically remove single metastases if they occur.