Question?! Answer: Ask Tuffy Luv.

Dear Tuffy Luv,

My boyfriend noticed a lump in my breast while we were fooling around. I’m so scared. I can’t sleep. I’m afraid to tell my parents. I’m at school so I could go to the clinic but I’m really scared about what they’ll say. What should I do?

Scared Read More »

Let me just start off by saying that this is a really not fun article to write.

This is coming from a person who really likes to have fun and this…well, this is not fun.

Yeah, it might also be unpleasant to read through, but I have to write about all the ways cancer is killing thousands and thousands of women. Awesome. Considering I’m a woman who has a long family history of all different kinds of cancers…even more awesome.

Then there is the upside to writing this: I’m educating myself about all the scary facts of life. While I can’t guarantee that the 1% will be devouring all the facts written below, I’m hoping that the other 99% of us will use some of this as a launching pad. Women – actually, everyone – should want to know about the cause and effect of cancer on our bodies.

October takes the cake for bringing awareness to breast cancer, a cancer that deeply plagues the female population. The strides that breast cancer awareness month makes toward raising money and mindfulness both helps and hurts the rest of the cancer community. Read More »

Every woman enjoys a good rub of the boobies, am I right? Come on ladies, you know it’s true. It feels good. Duh.

The only thing I can think of that would completely turn me off from enjoying an awesome boob rub would be…my doctor…checking me for breast cancer.

For all of us twenty-something college girls with pre-gravitized boobies, it’s time to wake up and smell the sterilized tools: breast cancer is common in women under the age of 30. Before you all go kill-the-messenger crazy on me, think about it. Breast cancer is not just a menopausal-mommy disease. In fact, research is concluding that young women with genetic risk factors are more likely to present symptoms at an earlier age. While breast cancer generally afflicts women over the age of 50, it is not uncommon for the cancer to appear in younger patients.

Since you’re all tenderly squeezing the life out of your B and C cups right now, here are a few shocking finds that all proactive young women should bear in mind as you try to stay as far from going under the knife as possible – that is, until you need Botox.

1. Self-breast exams are unnecessary

After years of urging women to go ahead and cop a feel in the privacy of their own homes, studies have shown this self-exam to be unnecessary. The rationale behind this is that these monthly self-exams do not reduce the risk of breast cancer in women at any age and result in increasing large numbers of unnecessary biopsies. Some researchers concluded that the self-administered exams made women even more nervous to check themselves, fearing that any ‘lumps’ might be cancer in the making.  Doctors still encourage women to touch themselves (above the pants) to get to know their own breasts in the event that anything changes.

2.  Breast cancer only occurs in women

Uh, wrong. In fact, the National Breast Cancer website concluded that each year over 1700 men are diagnosed with breast cancer. So, the rubbing of the boobies that we were talking about earlier, well, men should also partake. Of the 1700 new cases, 450 men will died from this cancer. Since doctors have stated that self-exams are optional, there are other ways to check for any physical signs or symptoms: checking yourself (topless) out in front of a mirror or by ditching your loofa; covering your hand with some soap and scrubbing your breasts might alert you to any physical changes occurring.

3. If your mom had breast cancer, does that mean you’ll get it too?

Not entirely true, but you do have a point. If someone in your family lineage has been diagnosed with breast cancer, it makes your risk factor increase at any age. However, just because mom had it doesn’t always mean that you’re next in line for showing symptoms. Most women that do present positive for the cancer often have no familial history of the disease. If you’re concerned (you have every right to be), doctors advice having a mammogram five years before your family members diagnosis. While that sounds confusing, doctors mean this: if grandma was 55 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, you should go for a mammogram at 50. Say you’re part of the percentage of women who don’t have a family history of breast cancer; doctors still advice going in for your first mammogram at age 35.

4. “Breast cancer happens to everyone but me”

Think again. Research shows that breast cancer went from affecting 1 out of every 12 women in 1996 to occurring in 1 out of 9 in 2001. While that’s a small jump, remember that the year is now 2011. In 2010, more than 200,000 women were diagnosed with the disease and of that big number, 40,000 brave women lost their lives to the disease. Breast cancer is the number one cancer affecting women.

5. What can you eat to give your body the best fighting chance?

Don’t drop that delicious cookie you’re holding just yet, ladies. It’s okay to maintain the lifestyle you’re living right now but bear in mind that women (and men) who eat a diet rich with proteins and vegetables give their bodies the best fighting chance possible when it comes to breast cancer. Drinking in moderation, as well as exercising regularly, are two key ways you can best fight off your chances of diagnosis. There is no study that confirms women of different ages should perform different activities to best prevent showing symptoms. Men and women of all ages are encouraged to eat well and exercise to maintain their body weight. Studies have, however, shown a link between early menstruation and early detection of breast cancer.

While we’ve just dabbled into some preventative measures ladies and gents alike can take to protect themselves from cancer, there are dozens of other resources out there for public use.  To end on a happier note, breast cancer is not fatal in every case. Women who have passed the five-year survival mark for localized cancer have a growing percentage rate (from 41%-93% depending on the cancer type) of live after detection. You can also check out 10 of the Hollywood starlets that we know of who have just begun – or have already won! – their battle with breast cancer.

So go on ladies, rub your boobies. Not ‘cause you have to. Just ‘cause it feels so good to.

The following post was written by Liz, a CollegeCandy reader and 21-year-old breast cancer survivor.

I was your typical college sophomore. I was active on campus, had a great group of friends, and kept myself busy with schoolwork. I was enjoying my time at The College of New Jersey, and felt truly blessed with an amazing life.

Then in April 2009, everything changed completely. In the midst of studying for final exams and celebrating the end of the school year, I was going back and forth between TCNJ and New York City for doctor visits. I had found a lump in my right breast, and went for tests and exams just as a precaution. Although I was optimistic and really believed I had nothing to worry about, I received the news that nobody wants to hear: I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Read More »

Breast Cancer.  It’s a word most of us don’t spend too much time pondering about.  After all, we are busy college students with plenty of other things on our minds and problems to address.  Problems that seem significant or monumental as they occur in our little bubble world of college. Problems like:

“Oh my god, I just gained five pounds.”
“Shoot, I shouldn’t have had that extra slice of pizza last night.”
“Ugh I didn’t make the lacrosse team.”
“Grad school applications need to be in by next week? I am so screwed.”

Thoughts such as these are more of the day-to-day troubles on our minds. But breast cancer? No, not breast cancer.  Unless someone in our family is diagnosed with the disease, why should we think about such an awful, somewhat unthinkable possibility, which is so far removed from our current existence?

Well, I propose we change this lack of breast cancer contemplation. And I have good reasons for it.

Given the explosion of childhood obesity seen in our generation, health experts across the board are predicting crisis proportions of heart disease, diabetes, and you guessed it, breast cancer.  And seeing that we just rounded out National Breast Cancer Awareness month, I think it’s important to point out that the breast cancer Grim Reaper is going to plague our generation unless we take a proactive approach to keeping ourselves healthy and motivating our loved ones to do the same. Read More »

On January 11, 2011, Claudia Gilmore will undergo a preventative double mastectomy with reconstruction. The 23-year old does not have breast cancer, but has a genetic mutation that makes her more likely to develop cancerous cells in the future. She began writing a blog about life with the mutation several months ago. Eventually, the blog became a hot topic in DC, coming up in casual conversation after conversation.

Maureen Dolan-Galvaniz, a local film-maker and classmate of Claudia’s, heard about her previving blog and was fascinated. Wanting to not only tell the story, but spread the word about preventative options, Maureen began working on a documentary about Claudia’s journey to surgery.

Claudia has now appeared in Ladies’ Home Journal, The Today Show, and several other media outlets, spreading the message about previving. We were lucky enough to catch up with the producer/director of the webisodes, Maureen, and get a behind the scenes look into Previve.com and what previving is all about.

How did you first hear about Claudia’s decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy?
I was out one Saturday evening with girlfriends when they started talking about this Georgetown
girl that was cutting off her breasts and blogging about it! They thought what she was doing was totally crazy – I don’t think either fully understood the BRCA mutations. I had never heard of the BRCA mutation either. I was so intrigued that I started Googling ‘Georgetown girl cuts off breasts’ when I got home. Sure enough, I came across Claudia’s blog. Claudia and I had been colleagues at Georgetown, we had taken our first documentary production class together.

Why do you think Claudia’s story needs to be told?
Because it is incredible and inspiring and touches on so many big ethical health issues. Would you want to know if you had a genetic mutation? What would you do once you found out? Should we test our children? What is life like once you know that you have an increased risk for a deadly disease? Previvors blow my mind. They are some of the most inspiring, joyous people I have ever met. For example, Claudia is so thankful that she knows that she has this genetic mutation that she doesn’t waste any time worrying about what life would be like if she didn’t. She seizes every day and doesn’t dwell on her really unfortunate mutation. Read More »

So we’re halfway through October (I know, how did that happen?!) and by now you should be well aware that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And that means 2 things:

1) We’re reminded that we really should all be feeling ourselves up more often.
2) We’re reminded of the importance of funding breast cancer research to help find a cure. And that means we race or we shop.

And since, let’s face it, we’ve all been spending the last month eating late night cheesy bread, Racing for the Cure doesn’t seem like the best choice. But pair shopping, all things pink and a good cause together,  and call me Elle Woods because I am SO there.

There is no shortage the pink goodness to go around this month – it seems like everyone’s getting in on the fun (including the NFL!). The best thing about it (besides the fact that every dollar spent helps find a cure, of course) is that a lot of stuff we’d buy anyway is going pink, so it’s never been easier to contribute to the cause. And there are also so many luxury items that we’d never splurge for on a normal day, but now we finally have a reason to! Read More »

The following post was written by Liz, a CollegeCandy reader and 21-year-old breast cancer survivor.

I was your typical college sophomore. I was active on campus, had a great group of friends, and kept myself busy with schoolwork. I was enjoying my time at The College of New Jersey, and felt truly blessed with an amazing life.

Then in April 2009, everything changed completely. In the midst of studying for final exams and celebrating the end of the school year, I was going back and forth between TCNJ and New York City for doctor visits. I had found a lump in my right breast, and went for tests and exams just as a precaution. Although I was optimistic and really believed I had nothing to worry about, I received the news that nobody wants to hear: I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Read More »

Contrary to what all those fashion mags tell you, earth tones and jewel tones are not the color right now. No, maam. It’s October and the it color is pink!

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, peeps! This means that in addition to donning all your pink goodies and shopping for a (great and important) cause, there’s one thing on everyone’s mind this month: boobies. Lady lumps. Tatas. Gazongas. Head lamps.

All of this boob-talk got us thinking – first about the ever-important self-exam, then about all of the different and amazing names people have for breasts. Seriously, who knew two lumps of fat could spur such creativity?

Here are our top 20 faves. Share your own (names….not sexy pics) below! Read More »

Lindsay Lohan was dating Heath Ledger!?

Tracy Morgan is raunchy. And some people are surprised?

Scandal at Cornell! (And this is JUICY.)

Nicole Richie brings her style to Bebe.

Some women will do anything for a new pair of boobs…

Glee is a giant success! (Duh. It’s awesome.)