Brazil is the second country in the world that more research on the breast cancer on Google, according to data collected by CNN through the tool Google Trends . Angola is ahead of the country, while Mozambique, Portugal, United States in this order, comes next.
According to data collected on the platform since 2004, research on the subject have grown in the last four years in Brazil.
The value of 100 present in the search graph represents the highest peak in popularity of a term. A value of 50 means half the popularity and a score of 0 means there was not enough data about the term.
As the graph shows, 2022 still saw a peak in searches for the disease.
Despite being at the top of the world rankings, just over half of women still underestimate the importance of mammography for the early diagnosis of breast cancer, according to A survey carried out by the Ipec institute (Intelligence in Research and Strategic Consulting).
What Brazilians search for most about breast cancer on Google:
Google Trends also lists the main doubts Brazilians have about breast cancer. They are:
- What are the first signs of breast cancer?
- What does a breast cancer lump look like?
- Breast cancer risk factors
- How to prevent breast cancer
- Does breast cancer hurt?
- Can silicone implants cause breast cancer?
- Is there more than one breast cancer?
- What is the most serious type of breast cancer?
THE CNN listened to experts to answer them. Check it out!
What are the first signs of breast cancer?
According to mastologist Anastasio Beterrini, initially, breast cancer does not produce symptoms. “As the disease progresses, the patient may notice a painless lump in the breast with bloody secretion (which contains excess blood), breast asymmetry (breasts of different sizes) and redness of the skin.
Mastologist Franklin Pimentel also highlights local pain and lymph nodes in the armpits.
What does a breast cancer lump look like?
“The breast cancer nodule can present itself in different ways, sometimes being hardened with contours that are very noticeable on palpation, while other times it appears as an area of different consistency, without it being possible to palpate a very defined nodule”, highlights Franklin.
According to Anastasio, the lump usually grows slowly.
Breast cancer risk factors
The main risk factors presented by professionals are:
- Genetic (family history of breast cancer);
- Sedentary lifestyle;
- Obesity;
- Early menstruation (under 9 years of age);
- Late menopause (after age 54);
- Lack of pregnancy;
- Lack of breastfeeding;
- Excessive use of hormones after menopause;
How to prevent breast cancer
According to Anastasio, there is no prevention for cancer, but rather early diagnosis. “We recommend having an annual mammogram, starting at age 40. It is the only method that performs early diagnosis, when cure rates are approximately 95%.”
Does breast cancer hurt?
“If the tumor advances, it can cause some local discomfort and sometimes hurt. Therefore, any breast change or symptom must be investigated”, explains Anastasio.
Can silicone implants cause breast cancer?
“Silicone prosthesis does not cause cancer, nor does it prevent diagnosis, and it poses no problem when carrying out usual exams, such as mammography”, points out Franklin.
Is there more than one breast cancer?
Currently, breast cancer is divided into different subtypes, according to characteristics and receptors, says Franklin. “This information is obtained through biopsy analysis and makes it possible to define the most appropriate treatment for each type of tumor”, explains the professional.
What is the most serious type of breast cancer?
Breast cancer subtypes are divided into luminal (has hormone receptors), HER2+ (has overexpression of the HER2 receptor) and triple-negative (does not have estrogen, progesterone or HER2 receptors).
“Considering that triple-negative cases have fewer targeted treatments and tend to be more aggressive, we can consider them the most serious. However, there are other particularities, such as the size of the tumor and other tests that the mastologist or oncologist requests and that make it possible to more accurately classify the severity on a case-by-case basis”, concludes Franklin Pimentel.
This content was originally published in Breast cancer: Brazilians’ main doubts about the disease on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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