Breast Cancer Awareness

Part VI - Breast Self Examination


The breast self-examination (BSE)  is an examination of the breasts, performed by a woman, ideally one time per month. The goal of the breast self-examination is for a woman to notice changes in the breast that should be brought to the attention of a physician for further evaluation. These include breast lumps, changes in the breast shape, size, or contour, or skin changes. Randomized trials have shown no decrease in breast cancer mortality among women performing monthly breast self-examination.

To complete a monthly BSE:
When lying down  -   place a pillow under the right shoulder and position the right arm behind the head. Using the finger pads of the three middle fingers on the left hand, check the entire breast area. Use small circles and follow an up-and-down pattern while pressing firmly enough to know how the breast feels from month to month. This exam should then be repeated on the left breast using the finger pads of the right hand with the pillow under the left shoulder.

When standing before a mirror -  any changes in the shape or look of the breasts should be checked. In order to look for any skin or nipple changes such as dimpling or nipple discharge, the arms should first be placed at the sides and then overhead. Hands are then placed firmly on hips to flex chest muscles, and then the body should be bent forward

When taking a shower  -  the right arm should be raised. By using soapy hands and fingers flat the right breast and outer part of the breast can be examined. The same small circles and up-and-down pattern used when lying down should be used in an upright position. Repeat on the left breast.

The American Cancer Society recommends monthly breast self-examination for women over the age of twenty.    

The Lions Club of Castries urges its members to  encourage friends and family  and to undertake their monthly BSE.  And remember always bring to the attention of your physician any changes you may notice.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Part V

Types of breast cancer

There are several different types of breast cancer that can be divided into two main categories - noninvasive cancers and invasive cancers. Noninvasive cancer may also be called "carcinoma in situ." Noninvasive breast cancers are confined to the ducts or lobules and they do not spread to surrounding tissues. The two types of noninvasive breast cancers are ductal carcinoma in situ (referred to as DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (referred to as LCIS).

Non-invasive breast cancer. The majority of non-invasive breast cancers are DCIS. In DCIS, the cancer cells are found only in the milk duct of the breast. If DCIS is not treated, it may progress to invasive cancer.

In LCIS, the abnormal cells are found only in the lobules of the breast. Unlike DCIS, LCIS is not considered to be a cancer. It is more like a warning sign of increased risk of developing an invasive breast cancer in the same or opposite breast. While LCIS is a risk factor for invasive cancer, it doesn't actually develop into invasive breast cancer in many women.

Invasive breast cancer. Invasive or infiltrating breast cancers penetrate through normal breast tissue (such as the ducts and lobules) and invade surrounding areas. They are more serious than noninvasive cancers because they can spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs, and brain.

Note: This information does not substitute for a consultation or visit with your health care provider.

Reference - American Cancer Society website

Breast Cancer Awareness

Part IV

Stages of Breast Cancer

Stage 0 - is carcinoma in situ, early stage cancer that is confined to the ducts or the lobules, depending on where it started. It has not gone into the tissues in the breast nor spread to other organs in the body.

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This is the most common type of noninvasive   breast cancer, when abnormal cells are in the lining of a duct. DCIS is also   called intraductal carcinoma. DCIS sometimes becomes invasive cancer if not   treated.

• Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS): This condition begins in the milk-making   glands but does not go through  the wall of the lobules. LCIS seldom becomes    invasive cancer; however, having LCIS in one breast increases the risk of   cancer for both breasts.

Stage I - is an early stage of invasive breast cancer. In Stage I, cancer cells have not spread beyond the breast and the tumor is no more than 2 centimeters (three-quarters of an inch) across.

Stage II - is one of the following:
• The tumor in the breast is no more than 2 centimeters (three-quarters of an inch)    across. The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.

• The tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters (three-quarters of an inch to 2 inches). The cancer may have spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.

• The tumor is larger than 5 centimeters (2 inches). The cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes under the arm.

Stage III - may be a large tumor, but the cancer has not spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes. It is locally advanced cancer.

Stage IIIA - is one of the following:
o The tumor in the breast is smaller than 5 centimeters (2 inches). The cancer has spread to underarm lymph nodes that are attached to each other or to other structures.
o The tumor is more than 5 centimeters across. The cancer has spread to the underarm lymph nodes.

Stage IIIB - is one of the following:
o The tumor has grown into the chest wall or the skin of the breast.
o The cancer has spread to lymph nodes behind the breastbone.
o Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of Stage IIIB breast cancer. The breast     looks red and swollen because cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin     of the breast.

Stage IIIC - is a tumor of any size. It has spread in one of the following ways:
o The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes behind the breastbone and under the arm.
o The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under or above the collarbone.

Stage IV - is distant metastatic cancer. The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Recurrent cancer - Recurrent cancer is cancer that has come back (recurred) after a period of time when it could not be detected. It may recur locally in the breast or chest wall as another primary cancer, or it may recur in any other part of the body, such as the bone, liver, or lungs, which is generally referred to as metastatic cancer.

Talking VAT

On Thursday October 15, the Lions Club of Castries devoted its social meting to talk VAT.  The guests at  that meeting were Mr Augustus Amede and Mr Kurt Reynolds from the VAT Office. 

 

Some of the issues highlighted included:
What is VAT?
The Value Added Tax system or VAT as it is commonly known, is an indirect tax usually on imports and the added value to the goods and services, supplied by one business to another or to a final consumer.  VAT is designed to ensure that most forms of consumer spending are taxed evenly and fairly.

How will VAT affect me?
Final Consumers: Because VAT replaces and reduces the number of indirect taxes on the goods and services you currently buy or use,m oftentimes the final price of most good and services will be reduced.  The prices of goods and services which currently have little or no taxes are likely to increase.  However, in order to not have an adverse effect on the lives of vulnerable groups in society, some goods will be exempted from VAT and others will be taxed at a rate of zero percent.  This means the final consumer will pay no tax on these purchases.

Businesses: If you are a registered business, you will pay VAT on your purchase from another registered business.  You will charge VAT on the sales you make, but you can off-set the VAT paid against the VAT collected.  The difference is paid to or available for refund from government........

If you  are not registered for VAT, you will pay VAT on your  purchases form any registered business.  You cannot charge VAT or claim credit for any VAT you have paid.

 














For further information visit the VAT Implementation  Project Office at No. 4 Bridge Street Castries, Saint Lucia or the website: www.vat.gov.lc

Lions Observe World Service Day

Lions World Service day is observed each year on October 08.  The objective of this day is to allow Lions to:

• build community pride by participating in a community project;
• make the club an example of  civic engagement;
• build goodwill for the club;
• contribute to social capital;
• builds community pride;
• introduce the club and the difference it makes to community;

 

The Lions Club of Castries in observance of that day visited the Corner Stone Halfway house at Vigie and presented the residents with hampers of toiletries.