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OCTOBER is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and each year approximately 300 women die locally from the disease. Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control. There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer.Breast cancer can begin in different parts of the breast. The cancer can develop in the ducts that carry milk to the nipple, the lobules that produce milk, or the tissue in between. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules. Breast cancer can spread outside the breast through blood vessels and lymph vessels. When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it is said to have metastasised.The month of observance provides a concentrated and dedicated period for all to either gain or be reminded of the facts, dispel myths, show support for women and men affected by breast cancer, and learn of the technological strides being made in breast cancer treatment.Although rare, men can get breast cancer too. Like women, men diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage have a good chance for a cure.As the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Jamaican women, our population needs to know what breast cancer is, access updated facts related to the disease and be aware of the possible signs. According to Dr Cathi-Ann Williams, Non-Communicable Disease (NCD_ risk factor programme development officer in the Non-Communicable Disease and Injury Prevention Unit at the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), it is an imperative that the ministry continues its amplified public education efforts emphasising the importance of education among the population, placing screening as vital for early detection and prevention."We at the MOHW want all to start having the conversation with our young women and men at the secondary and tertiary levels of education, or even earlier about breast cancer speaking to the risks and the signs," she said.Breast cancer symptoms vary widely and many breast cancers have no obvious symptoms at all. Any of the following unusual changes in the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer:• swelling of all or part of the breast• skin irritation or dimpling• breast pain• nipple pain or the nipple turning inward• redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin• a nipple discharge other than breast milk• a lump in the underarm areaThese changes also can be signs of less serious conditions that are not cancerous, such as an infection or a cyst. Again, it's important to get any breast changes checked out promptly by a doctor.In other cases, however, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. A lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer. But sometimes cancers can be tender, soft, and rounded. It's important to have anything unusual checked by your doctor. For more information on Breast Cancer please visit MOHW's website: ncdip.moh.gov.jm